Micheal Ferguson. Minister for Science and Technology
Liberals Tasmania Media Release – Published September 10, 2020.
The Tasmanian Liberal Government is the strongest supporter of the information technology sector and is committed to growing more local ICT jobs, as well as securing the integrity of our digital systems and Government-held data.
Our recent release of the state’s inaugural strategy for digital industry and service transformation; Our Digital Future is the first step towards an even more vibrant digital economy and workforce, an enhanced integration of Government services, as well as supporting Tasmanians that are easy to access and use by all Tasmanians who need help to partake in it.
The Our Digital Future strategy builds on the significant investments our Government has already made in helping businesses improve their online platforms with the successful Digital Ready for Business program. The Digital Ready for Daily Life program is also helping our thriving start-up communities turn their bright ideas and concepts into products and services through our investment in the Enterprize start-up hubs in Hobart and Launceston. We have also committed funding to fix mobile blackspots for the benefit of our regional communities.
It is unfortunate that during their time in office the Labor–Green Government critically under-invested in crucial IT services and cyber-security. We will continue to work constructively with our departments, the Federal Government’s Australian Signals Directorate, other jurisdictions and the ICT sector to improve our cyber-security and resilience.
We’ve spent 6 years quietly cleaning up the disastrous cyber risk that the Labor left to us, without any media fuss or attracting the wrong type of attention – for obvious reasons.
It is the height of irresponsibility for Michelle O’Byrne to claim that the Government is “totally exposed to cyber attack”, in essence laying a bait for malicious actors who would seek to do harm to our state and our people.
State security, including cyber security, has always been seen as above politics to protect the interests of the people of our state.
Growing our ICT industry, skilling our professionals, putting more services online and safeguarding Government assets and civilian data is a massive team effort and Labor need to get on board rather than seek to create yet another scare campaign.