Old government computer systems face a $15 billion to $17 billion overhaul
Departments must find the money within current budgets and tell Home Affairs their plans by December.
Home Affairs puts the bill at $15 billion to $17 billion to replace old government computer systems. Departments will have to squeeze that cost into their existing budgets over time.
Old government systems are at risk from artificial intelligence, or AI, a senior Home Affairs official warned. Hamish Hansford called replacing old systems a defining challenge of the next five years.
Departments have until December to tell Home Affairs how they will protect critical systems, and when those will be scrapped. A directive sent to agencies last week asks them to audit old tech and plan replacements.
Mr Hansford said AI has the ability to super charge cyber incidents by finding weak spots in record time. Updates to the Essential Eight, the mandatory cyber security standards for government agencies, come out later this month.
- $15 billion to $17 billion
- Overhaul estimate
- December
- Deadline to tell Home Affairs
- Canberra
- Conference location
- Protective Security Policy Framework
- Directive framework
Why it mattersDepartments must justify which old systems to replace first, and explain the risks and costs in plain terms.
AustraliaDepartments must report their plans by December, which shapes how well critical government systems are protected.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 1 h ago
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