“Despite cybersecurity not being a major focus in the Budget, the Government’s continued investment in the National Anti-Scam Centre is a positive step. As the sophistication of scams increases, they’ve become a threat to our economy and our national security.

“The continued inclusion of scams in the Federal Budget signals that these threats require coordinated, long-term responses across sectors. Public and private collaboration is essential - we all have a part to play in the fight. Education plays a key role here too. A strong defence against scams and cybersecurity threats more broadly isn’t a destination, but a constantly changing environment that demands ongoing education, training, and innovation to keep pace. It’s this ongoing education and training that is crucial to help us shift focus from reacting to attacks after they’ve occurred to identifying and disabling threats before they can detonate. The era of accepting ‘patient zero’ as inevitable must come to a close. For that reason, the $2.7 billion investment to support state skills and workforce development services is an excellent start to ensuring Australians have access to the resources necessary to build the long-term resilience Australia needs.

“While this level of government investment is modest, I’m hopeful it’s part of a broader shift towards recognising cybercrime and scams as a frontline issue for Australia's economy. I hope to see this momentum continue.”