STATEMENTS BY SENATORS

Senator COX (Western Australia) (13:38): I rise to speak about the Albanese Labor government's response to cybercrime. Cybercrime is not a niche technical issue; it's an everyday risk for families, small businesses and our public services. It includes scams, phishing, identity theft, ransomware and online abuse.

The evidence before the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement's inquiry into law enforcement's cybercrime capability makes this clear. I want to acknowledge the committee's work—in particular, my good friend Senator Helen Polley's leadership as the chair of that committee. Cybercrime is broad, borderless and continually evolving.

It exploits new technologies and causes financial loss, stress and harm to people's safety. That is why the Albanese Labor government has treated cybersecurity and cybercrime as a national priority. Through the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy, the Albanese Labor government has set a clear goal.

That's to make Australia a world leader in cybersecurity by 2030. It has introduced Australia's first standalone Cyber Security Act, and, with device standards, ransomware reporting, incident review and stronger critical infrastructure protections, we are taking direct action on scams through our Scams Prevention Framework, requiring banks, telcos and digital platforms to step up, because consumers should not have to fight sophisticated criminal networks alone.

For small businesses in Western Australia, our government is delivering practical support through the Small Business Cyber Resilience Service, cyberwardens training, cyberhealth checks and digital solutions. We are backing law enforcement and regional partnerships because cybercrime is borderless, and Australia cannot respond alone. Australia will not be a soft target, and that is why the Albanese Labor government is meeting cybercrime with the urgency and practical action it demands.