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Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds has announced an update to the government’s National Security Science and Technology Priorities.
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The Commonwealth government’s National Security Science and Technology Priorities have been updated to better reflect new and emerging challenges.
The update identified six priority areas, which include:
- Cyber security: The ability to strengthen the cyber security and resilience of critical infrastructure and systems of national significance through the conduct of research and development, and the delivery of advanced cyber technologies, tools, techniques and education;
- Intelligence: The ability to collect, analyse, integrate, assess and disseminate intelligence with the accuracy, scale and speed required to support timely national security and intelligence decision making;
- Border security and identity management: Protecting and securing Australia’s borders from disease outbreaks, hazardous material and threats to our community, including maximum disruption effect on illegal activity and migration with projected growth in people and cargo movement across Australian borders;
- Investigative support and forensic science: Law enforcement’s ability to prevent, disrupt and prosecute terrorist and criminal activities in a complex transnational and evolving digital environment;
- Preparedness, protection, prevention and incident response: The ability to appropriately equip and prepare Australian agencies to effectively address national security threats and natural or man-made destructive events, including mass-harm and mass-damage incidents, either by preventing their occurrence, or responding and recovering effectively if they have occurred; and
- Technology foresight: Monitoring, analysing, and evaluating the implications of scientific and technological developments to prevent strategic and tactical surprise.
“The update has given greater consideration to recent challenges such as national resilience and biosecurity,” Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds said.
“These priorities will help to drive strategic advantage by developing, adapting and delivering science and technology solutions to current and future national security challenges.”
The government’s science and technology program, co-ordinated by Defence Science and Technology Group, aims to shape and harness the national science and technology enterprise to achieve a cohesive and agile innovation system — as outlined in the 2020 Defence Strategic Update.
[Related: Defence Innovation Hub awards nine new contracts]
Charbel Kadib
News Editor – Defence and Security, Momentum Media
Prior to joining the defence and aerospace team in 2020, Charbel was news editor of The Adviser and Mortgage Business, where he covered developments in the banking and financial services sector for three years. Charbel has a keen interest in geopolitics and international relations, graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a double major in politics and journalism. Charbel has also completed internships with The Australian Department of Communications and the Arts and public relations agency Fifty Acres.
