Photo: AAP: Tracey Nearmy

The Andrews Labor Government has strongly supported Data61 – the digital research arm of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) – in growing their Melbourne presence as part of its push to make Victoria a cyber security and technology powerhouse.

Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade Philip Dalidakis joined Data61 CEO Adrian Turner today to officially open the hub and welcome some of the country’s most  prominent cyber security leaders to Victoria.

Based in the Docklands’ Goods Shed, it will house several other organisations including a collaboration with Oxford University’s Global Cyber Security Capacity Centre (GCSCC) and Victoria’s new Oceania Cyber Security Centre (OCSC) – bringing together eight Victorian universities and major private sector partners.

In Australia, security compromises often underpin cybercrime, which has become one of the greatest threats facing the economy. Almost half of all small and medium enterprises fell victim in 2015 – costing the country’s economy $17 billion.

Over the past 12 months, the Labor Government has been working hard to keep Victoria at the forefront of Australia’s cyber security expertise and capabilities, with this new hub to focus on collaboration and commercialisation to protect our digital economy.

With almost a quarter of Australian cyber security positions taking six months or longer to fill and 10 per cent never filled at all, the Labor Government is also improving training and education in the sector.

Last year we invested $4.7 million with Box Hill TAFE to develop a training program to meet the growing need for cyber security skills. The institute now offers a one-year certificate in cyber security, Australia’s first dedicated vocational course for the sector.