Lumify Group CEO Jon Lang
On investing in skills and training:
“Given we presently have a Labor government, the education sector already anticipated more support for Public TAFE fee-free places – which is a positive investment into Australia’s tech workforce. While there will always be an important need for nationally-accredited training, what we would really like to see from the Federal Government is more of a focus on the particular vendor-certified skills that the industry is crying out for; which are globally accredited certifications from technology providers such as Microsoft, AWS, Google and Vendor neutral Cyber Security training programs from the likes of (ISC)2 and Isaca. Nationally-accredited training courses such as TAFE don’t always produce job-ready graduates. Graduates also need specific vendor-certified competencies in the programs that employers are using on a daily basis. These are the indispensable skills that organisations are suffering a shortage of most, so we need to see an equal investment in both nationally-accredited and vendor-certified training, not just one of these areas.”

On boosting skilled migration:
“It appears as though we’ll see more skilled migrants arrive in Australia, which will hopefully stem the digital skills gap over the next two years. This is a positive short-term solution, but it’s only that. In the long term, we would like to see stronger investment in the upskilling of homegrown talent as opposed to bringing in skilled migrants. Prioritising investment in skilled migrants has the potential to limit the opportunities for Australians to upskill at the same rate they did during Covid-19, when migration was not possible.”

Cyber security:
“We will likely need to wait on the outcomes of the 2023-30 Cyber Security Strategy (of which public consultation closed less than a month ago) before we see more major changes in the cyber security sector. One big positive announcement from the budget is the increased investment towards SMEs and improving their cyber security posture through the ‘Cyber Wardens Program’. According to the ACSC, SMBs are one of the most highly targeted groups, yet they suffer from a lack of resources to be able to properly defend themselves, such as a lack of dedicated staff with an IT security focus and underestimating the risk and consequences of a cyber incident. Notably, a staggering 62% of SMBs in a recent ACSC survey were victims of cybercrime.”

Macquarie Telecom Group founder and CEO David Tudehope
“We welcome the Government’s commitment to create 300,000 fee-free TAFE spots for emerging sectors. It’s vital that the cyber security sector is a beneficiary of this investment to ensure the cyber posture of governments and enterprises is raised to meet the cyber challenges we currently face. Our sector is currently facing an alarming skills gap, and we need to grow to ensure Australia’s critical infrastructure sectors and digital economy are fully protected.

“The Budget has also reinforced the Government’s commitment to implementing the reforms detailed in the DSR. They included the strongest indication yet of the importance of cyber security to Government, national security and Defence capabilities, and underscored the importance of growing a sovereign industry to support it.”

Pieter Danhieux, Co-Founder and CEO – Secure Code Warrior

"With the sustained focus on emerging dominant technologies like AI and quantum computing - not to mention the increased cyber risk brought on by their use in the wrong hands - it is refreshing to see that the Albanese Government has thrown support behind their development in the form of funding in the latest Federal Budget. As it stands, according to the National Cyber Security Index (NCSI), Australia ranks at number 40 in terms of our government-implemented cybersecurity capacities. This lags behind some developing nations, as well as the pace of our own adoption of the latest technology at both the business and individual levels.Over the past few years, funding has been focused on protecting critical infrastructure, defending against cyber conflict and nation-state attacks, and enhancing our security intelligence and cyber offense capabilities. While these are all crucial areas, it's also necessary to expand our defense efforts to cover enterprises and SMBs, particularly those who are creating or utilising sensitive software. Funding for the small business Cyber Wardens program via the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) is a step in the right direction, with up to 50,000 Cyber Wardens set to be trained in the next few years. I do wonder, however, how much of this program will involve tackling code-level vulnerabilities and filling security knowledge gaps in development teams across the country.

Overall, to remain competitive, we must also invest in developing our homegrown solutions and talent. To that end, it has been incredibly disappointing to observe organisations like AustCyber - once a strong pillar of Australia's cybersecurity community - slowly transform into something ineffectual, with little to no influence on the industry at large. The recent closure of the Cyrise Accelerator program is also a worrying sign for the future of our cybersecurity startups. With proper funding, our cyber capabilities can rival those of the top players in the industry, yet the government appears to be letting us rot on the vine. It is simply baffling in the wake of our worst year on record for cyberattacks."

Noel Derwort, Defence General Manager, Noetic

“The merging of in excess of $100 million in the budget and the National Quantum Strategy is a clear sign of the importance of Quantum computing to the Government and the Nation as a whole. While Australia is already recognised among the global leaders in this hotly contested field, the focus and support is welcome if we are to maintain our place in an environment where other Governments are increasing funding. If even a small percentage of Quantum capabilities are realised the implications will be significant.”

Nathan Knight, Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand, Hitachi Vantara

“We welcome the Federal Government’s focus on data and digitisation fit for purpose in the modern business economy.  Indeed, investing in new technology to achieve competitive differentiation should become a key focus for business in the year ahead as organisations deploy solutions that drive revenue and make them more productive.   A part of that investment will involve investing in IT skills, digital identity, Quantum computing and AI which in the long run will enable companies to be more agile and productive.    

“In addition, it is very encouraging to see the government’s incremental investment in cybersecurity to help protect the innovation and capabilities of our citizens, businesses and Federal agencies.  This aligns strongly to the development of a strong and credible sovereign ecosystem, a critical outcome from the recent pandemic.

“During times of rapid change and global economic uncertainty, it can be tempting to put your head down and simply continue with business as usual.   At the same time, we can no longer afford to see innovation in everyday business processes stifled by the immediate requirement for day-to-day productivity.  This is simply no longer an option and the government’s budget now provides a positive incentive to take the risk to innovate to develop and adopt smart technologies such as cloud and AI for long-term success.  At the same time, investment in a healthy Australian IT industry will help attract the best talent to the profession, increase diversity of skills and carve out new export opportunities.”

 Murray Mills, Head of Cyber Security, Tecala

“It is encouraging to see the Government allocating $86.5 million to establish a National Anti-Scam Centre as well as boosting ASIC’s work to disrupt investment scam websites, and establish Australia’s first SMS Sender ID Registry to prevent scammers imitating trusted brand names.  SMS scammers and their impact on citizens loosing life savings from these SMS scams are out of control.  With this initiative, the government can now start to increase security around the critical service providers, ensuring that we are less likely to encounter the degree of SMS scams we currently endure. We look forward to this being just the start and seeing this service expanding to all critical services.

“With all the recent compromises of our data, examples such as Medibank and Latitude Financial, our data and personal identity is under attack.  In many cases the organisations in charge of our data are keeping it  longer than required and therefore increasing the magnitude of the breach itself. The government initiatives announced in this budget are the first steps to centralising our identity and reducing the requirement for entering so much of our personal data into so many organisations. I am looking forward to this being expanded once proven to all services, so that individual companies are no longer in possession of our sensitive data.  Indeed, the government’s investment of $26.9 million in 2023-24 to expand Digital ID will help to increase efficiency and consumer protection, reduce fraud, and make it easier for people to access services online.”

 Sara Brown – Australia Business Manager, n3 Hub

We applaud the government’s focus on digital, AI and data investments which should now spur company management within businesses of all sizes grappling with a hybrid workforce and uncertain market conditions to adopt a proactive approach to greater automation.  New government support with instant write offs should help businesses invest in tools that will help them work smarter and put them in a better position to make the most of new business opportunities ahead.  However, any IT investment should begin with a governance and compliance strategy as the best way to keep the project on track, ensure visibility and result in the business achieving maximum benefit. 

Christian Lucarelli, Vice President Asia Pacific, Nintex

“We are excited about the Australian government’s commitment to building a productive and safe digital future. At Nintex we recognise that our technology needs to be built with data protection, sovereignty, and privacy at its core. As our customers begin to explore the potential of new technologies like AI, we will continue to adopt a privacy and security posture that’s designed to prevent misuse and protect customers’ data.”

Andrew Winlaw, Vice President & General Manager Australia and New Zealand, Amelia

“The Australian government has announced more spending on developing a sovereign capability in AI but for this investment to be successful, there needs to be a strong focus on putting strategies in place to measure the potential risk and ongoing success of any digital transformation involving AI.  

“At the same time, by supporting local businesses and domestic opportunities, Australian companies can develop world-leading AI solutions which are applicable to any global company.   We encourage ongoing government incentives as a starting point for reinforcing home-grown technology development.

“As for government, as our economy increasingly goes digital, transformation success has a direct impact on budget spending and community expectations. The more we spend on digital, the more the public will want to see results.  Public sector agencies now have a good opportunity to showcase how well they will support AI initiatives and manage project spending by communicating their strategies to measure outcomes.”

Scott McKinnel country manager Tenable ANZ

“With the Australian tax filing season approaching, it is reassuring to see that the federal government is taking proactive steps to protect citizens from the growing threat of scams and fraud. The newly announced $87 million investment in a National Anti-Scam Centre, take-down functions for investor scams, and an SMS sender registry will undoubtedly provide a stronger defence against malicious actors impersonating government agencies."

“As cybercriminals continue to evolve and refine their tactics, it is crucial that businesses, government agencies, and individuals take proactive measures to protect themselves against online scams and fraud."

“The increase in scams and fraud can be attributed to the high-profile cyberattacks of the past year that have resulted in the compromise of sensitive customer data. It is not surprising that we are seeing an upsurge in these types of incidents."

“The government's investment in anti-scam initiatives is a significant step in the right direction. We look forward to seeing the positive impact these measures will have on the Australian community.”

UiPath senior vice president and general manager Asia Pacific Lee Hawksley

Leading AI-powered automation company UiPath welcomes Australia’s commitment to enhancing the nation’s digital capabilities through investing $2 billion in new digital solutions and upskilling the workforce to align with the emerging AI-driven digital economy.

By modernising outdated legacy systems and moving to AI-powered automation, Australian government agencies will drive greater cost efficiencies, improve service delivery to customers, enhance employee satisfaction and reduce cyber risks. Extending the role of the National AI Centre will ensure that Australia maintains responsible AI usage, particularly in the face of a rapid evolution of generative AI.

Upskilling the workforce is crucial. The Australian government recognises that the workforce is changing as the world moves toward Industry 5.0. A new, UiPath survey shows that 67% of Australian office workers are now calling for AI-powered automation to address burnout and enhance job satisfaction. Providing Australians with the right skills and technology now will not only help the country realise its Vision 2025 digital strategy, but will also prepare Australia for the AI-powered workforce of the future.