Why Australia has an opportunity to lead Australia is not starting from scratch. We have a solid foundation on which to become a world leader in cyber security. It is on this foundation that we have built our Strategy. One of Australia’s core strengths is our robust legislative system. Our strong legislative and regulatory frameworks will help enforce new cyber security standards, while our ability to quickly change these laws will help us adapt to meet our evolving cyber security needs. From regulation of critical infrastructure under the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 (the SOCI Act) to the protection of people, information and assets in the Australian Government under the Protective Security Policy Framework and associated state and territory arrangements, the Australian Government can access a suite of levers to enhance our national cyber security. We are well placed to enact further legislative reform to achieve real whole-of-society changes. Not only do we have strong laws, we also have strong defences. Australia has a wide range of intelligence, defensive and offensive cyber capabilities to respond to serious cyber attacks. The ASD works across the full spectrum of cyber operations to defend Australia from global threats and advance our national interests. ASD acquires signals intelligence, provides proactive cyber risk advice and assistance, and may deploy offensive cyber operations. These operations are designed to deter, disrupt, degrade and deny adversaries where consistent with ASD’s existing legislative and oversight framework, in addition to domestic and international law. The AFP leads the investigation of serious and organised cybercrime activity impacting government, systems of national significance, or the wider Australian economy. The capabilities of ASD and AFP are also enabled by many other government agencies, industry leaders and community groups. This includes our world-class research, education and tech sectors, which are driving major technological advancements in cyber security and adjacent fields. Australia has many globally successful technology companies and strong research capabilities in critical technologies, including quantum, robotics and AI. Deep partnerships between academia, industry and government mean that we can afford to raise our aspirations about what Australia can achieve. In our region, Australia is a trusted partner of choice. We place great value on a strong region and collective capacity building. We have strengthened cyber resilience in our region by supporting the establishment of national computer emergency response teams, assisting in the development of new or strengthened national cyber strategies and legislation, delivering awareness-raising campaigns promoting online safety, and advocating for global tech companies to take security and safety more seriously. Globally, Australia is a leading voice on cyber security. Through multilateral forums, we have demonstrated a long-standing commitment to upholding the rules-based international order. We have stood up for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace and called out instances of malicious cyber activity by nation states. As a trusted voice on the international stage, Australia has an opportunity to uplift global standards for cyber security. These strengths are the backbone of our Strategy, and they fuel our vision for a more secure future. By building on our strategic advantages and capturing new opportunities, Australia can become a world leader in cyber security by 2030. 2023–2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy 13