Aldred joins cyber security committee

Federal Member for Monash Mary Aldred has been appointed as one of two members of the federal opposition to a parliamentary select committee on cyber security for small to medium enterprises.

The new committee will examine cyber security risks and barriers facing small and medium-sized businesses.

"For a small business, even a minor cyber security incident can have devastating impacts. From scam messages to phishing attacks and malicious software, our inquiry aims to understand the threats they face and how they can be better protected," she said.
The committee has had its first meeting, and will examine some of the barriers facing small businesses, including time, tools and resources available.
Ms Aldred has previously worked in cyber security and technology.
"Supporting small business is something I'm particularly passionate about, and I'm keen to engage on the challenges businesses face of cyber security threats to ensure they have the best support and tools available, particularly from a regional point of view," Ms Aldred said.
The inquiry will consider:
Cyber maturity - how prepared Australian small and medium-sized businesses (including not-for-profits) are to deal with cyber threats.
Government guidance - whether the cyber security advice provided by Government is adequate, suitable and accessible.
Cyber standards - whether clear and appropriate cyber security standards exist.
Access to services - how easy it is to find and purchase suitable cyber security services in Australia.
Employee training - how important staff training is for improving cyber security.
Supply-chain participation - how a cyber maturity affects ability to work with Government or large companies.
Local businesses and tech experts can make written submissions to the committee until August 28.