WorkSec and the Australian Industry & Defence Network (AIDN) have announced a strategic partnership aimed at helping small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) in Australia’s defence sector meet security compliance requirements, including obligations under the Defence Industry Security Program (DISP).
In a statement, the organisations said the partnership is intended to support AIDN members navigating defence contracting requirements as security expectations increase across the supply chain.
DISP membership is now a mandatory prerequisite for most contracts, the release said, with many SMEs facing governance and personnel security requirements that can be resource-intensive.
WorkSec director Matt Kirk linked the partnership to government efforts to strengthen sovereign capability, saying this is shifting more security compliance responsibility to the supply chain.
“Our mission has always been to remove the friction from security compliance,” said Mr Kirk.
“By partnering with AIDN, we are providing their national membership with a direct pipeline to medical-grade screening, NV1 and NV2 clearance sponsorship, and ‘Security Officer as a Service’ (SOaaS). We want to ensure that an SME’s focus remains on delivering world-class technology, not on managing administrative security backlogs.”
The release also pointed to the Security of Critical Infrastructure and Other Legislation Amendment (SOCI) reforms and said the SAMS Act has been in effect since August 2024, increasing legal risks around unauthorised training and knowledge transfer.
AIDN said the partnership is intended to help members improve their readiness when bidding for work with prime contractors and the Department of Defence.
“AIDN is dedicated to ensuring our members have the tools they need to succeed in a high-security environment,” says Mike Johnson, CEO of AIDN National.
“AIDN is providing our members with access to Worksec’s services to promote further participation in Australia’s most sensitive defence projects. We will be rolling out specialised events with WorkSec, as AIDN works to ensure our members have access to the capability and capacity to respond to the rapidly changing security environment.”
According to the release, the partnership includes governance support for “through-life” compliance activities such as annual reporting and Change of Circumstance (CoC) filings, and joint educational briefings including webinars and seminars focused on threats and legislative changes affecting the defence industry.
