Emergency services and innovation and the digital economy minister Stephen Dawson
The Western Australian government is proposing to create a formal emergency response plan for dealing with cyber security incidents.
The intention was unveiled yesterday by the emergency services and innovation and the digital economy minister Stephen Dawson.
The government wants to “boost its ability to respond to significant attacks on digital systems and data”.
Stakeholder consultations over the coming months will include private enterprises and the local government sector, and will result in a draft state hazard plan for cyber security.
The Department of Premier and Cabinet “will also investigate the viability of introducing cyber security as a hazard in the emergency management arrangements for Western Australia,” the government said.
WA currently has 28 designated natural and man-made hazards including bushfires, floods, terrorist acts, missing persons, heatwaves and rail crashes.
Each of these has a management framework that stipulates roles and responsibilities to “ensure a rapid and effective response to maintain public safety”.
That would also be the aim of a cyber security hazard plan.
“By developing a proposal for an overarching emergency response, the state government is ensuring that cyber security is a collective responsibility and we are prepared to mitigate the impact of any large-scale attacks,” Dawson said.