❓ Mrs Roberts questions Premier Barnett on the Auditor General's report highlighting computer security vulnerabilities in government agencies. The Premier acknowledges the issues and outlines ongoing efforts to improve security, including collaboration with Commonwealth agencies and ASIO.
AnsweredQoN 367Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES — COMPUTER SECURITY — AUDITOR GENERAL’S REPORT
I again refer to yesterday’s Auditor General’s report and note that the Department of Mines and Petroleum was one of 15 agencies that — … failed to detect, prevent or respond to our hostile scans of their Internet sites. These scans identified numerous vulnerabilities that could be exploited to gain access to their internal networks and information — (1) What guarantees can the Premier give mining companies and taxpayers that commercially confidential information is not being hacked? (2) Does it concern the Premier that staff contractors and maintenance people have unauthorised access to server rooms or that over 2 000 network accounts for former employees remain active across 46 agencies that were examined? (3) Are you aware that in several agencies, critical files for payments to staff and external suppliers can be read or manipulated prior to processing? (4) Which agency failed to have appropriate software licensing controls and then paid an out-of-court settlement of more than $6 million? Mr C.J. BARNETT
I again refer to yesterday’s Auditor General’s report and note that the Department of Mines and Petroleum was one of 15 agencies that — … failed to detect, prevent or respond to our hostile scans of their Internet sites. These scans identified numerous vulnerabilities that could be exploited to gain access to their internal networks and information — (1) What guarantees can the Premier give mining companies and taxpayers that commercially confidential information is not being hacked? (2) Does it concern the Premier that staff contractors and maintenance people have unauthorised access to server rooms or that over 2 000 network accounts for former employees remain active across 46 agencies that were examined? (3) Are you aware that in several agencies, critical files for payments to staff and external suppliers can be read or manipulated prior to processing? (4) Which agency failed to have appropriate software licensing controls and then paid an out-of-court settlement of more than $6 million? Mr C.J. BARNETT
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(4) That was a lot of questions. We accept what the Auditor General has found; we do not dispute that. I acknowledge that there are failings and deficiencies in the security of the systems. The member for Midland implies that a whole lot of things are happening. Mrs M.H. Roberts : That is from the report; I have not implied it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I know it is from the report; I understand that. I am conceding and clearly acknowledging that security across government is not to the standard required now, given the capacity of people to hack in. This is a bit like a dog chasing its tail, because the standards will continue to go up and up. The ability of people to hack into what are regarded as some of the most secure systems in the world has demonstrated that they have been able to break into them — Mr E.S. Ripper : Ours must be some of the least secure in the world. They have gone backwards in the last two years. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not believe that that is the case at all. We will take on board what the Auditor General has found and recommended and we will act upon that. I reassure members that the government has not just been sitting back doing nothing. Maybe we should be doing more; I concede that. However, a lot of work has been going on with the commonwealth, including commonwealth security agencies, on protecting particularly commercially sensitive information. This is the world’s biggest mining economy. There is information going through government agencies that — Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
(2) Does it concern the Premier that staff contractors and maintenance people have unauthorised access to server rooms or that over 2 000 network accounts for former employees remain active across 46 agencies that were examined? (3) Are you aware that in several agencies, critical files for payments to staff and external suppliers can be read or manipulated prior to processing? (4) Which agency failed to have appropriate software licensing controls and then paid an out-of-court settlement of more than $6 million? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) That was a lot of questions. We accept what the Auditor General has found; we do not dispute that. I acknowledge that there are failings and deficiencies in the security of the systems. The member for Midland implies that a whole lot of things are happening. Mrs M.H. Roberts : That is from the report; I have not implied it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I know it is from the report; I understand that. I am conceding and clearly acknowledging that security across government is not to the standard required now, given the capacity of people to hack in. This is a bit like a dog chasing its tail, because the standards will continue to go up and up. The ability of people to hack into what are regarded as some of the most secure systems in the world has demonstrated that they have been able to break into them — Mr E.S. Ripper : Ours must be some of the least secure in the world. They have gone backwards in the last two years. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not believe that that is the case at all. We will take on board what the Auditor General has found and recommended and we will act upon that. I reassure members that the government has not just been sitting back doing nothing. Maybe we should be doing more; I concede that. However, a lot of work has been going on with the commonwealth, including commonwealth security agencies, on protecting particularly commercially sensitive information. This is the world’s biggest mining economy. There is information going through government agencies that — Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
(3) Are you aware that in several agencies, critical files for payments to staff and external suppliers can be read or manipulated prior to processing? (4) Which agency failed to have appropriate software licensing controls and then paid an out-of-court settlement of more than $6 million? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) That was a lot of questions. We accept what the Auditor General has found; we do not dispute that. I acknowledge that there are failings and deficiencies in the security of the systems. The member for Midland implies that a whole lot of things are happening. Mrs M.H. Roberts : That is from the report; I have not implied it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I know it is from the report; I understand that. I am conceding and clearly acknowledging that security across government is not to the standard required now, given the capacity of people to hack in. This is a bit like a dog chasing its tail, because the standards will continue to go up and up. The ability of people to hack into what are regarded as some of the most secure systems in the world has demonstrated that they have been able to break into them — Mr E.S. Ripper : Ours must be some of the least secure in the world. They have gone backwards in the last two years. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not believe that that is the case at all. We will take on board what the Auditor General has found and recommended and we will act upon that. I reassure members that the government has not just been sitting back doing nothing. Maybe we should be doing more; I concede that. However, a lot of work has been going on with the commonwealth, including commonwealth security agencies, on protecting particularly commercially sensitive information. This is the world’s biggest mining economy. There is information going through government agencies that — Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
(4) Which agency failed to have appropriate software licensing controls and then paid an out-of-court settlement of more than $6 million? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) That was a lot of questions. We accept what the Auditor General has found; we do not dispute that. I acknowledge that there are failings and deficiencies in the security of the systems. The member for Midland implies that a whole lot of things are happening. Mrs M.H. Roberts : That is from the report; I have not implied it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I know it is from the report; I understand that. I am conceding and clearly acknowledging that security across government is not to the standard required now, given the capacity of people to hack in. This is a bit like a dog chasing its tail, because the standards will continue to go up and up. The ability of people to hack into what are regarded as some of the most secure systems in the world has demonstrated that they have been able to break into them — Mr E.S. Ripper : Ours must be some of the least secure in the world. They have gone backwards in the last two years. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not believe that that is the case at all. We will take on board what the Auditor General has found and recommended and we will act upon that. I reassure members that the government has not just been sitting back doing nothing. Maybe we should be doing more; I concede that. However, a lot of work has been going on with the commonwealth, including commonwealth security agencies, on protecting particularly commercially sensitive information. This is the world’s biggest mining economy. There is information going through government agencies that — Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) That was a lot of questions. We accept what the Auditor General has found; we do not dispute that. I acknowledge that there are failings and deficiencies in the security of the systems. The member for Midland implies that a whole lot of things are happening. Mrs M.H. Roberts : That is from the report; I have not implied it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I know it is from the report; I understand that. I am conceding and clearly acknowledging that security across government is not to the standard required now, given the capacity of people to hack in. This is a bit like a dog chasing its tail, because the standards will continue to go up and up. The ability of people to hack into what are regarded as some of the most secure systems in the world has demonstrated that they have been able to break into them — Mr E.S. Ripper : Ours must be some of the least secure in the world. They have gone backwards in the last two years. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not believe that that is the case at all. We will take on board what the Auditor General has found and recommended and we will act upon that. I reassure members that the government has not just been sitting back doing nothing. Maybe we should be doing more; I concede that. However, a lot of work has been going on with the commonwealth, including commonwealth security agencies, on protecting particularly commercially sensitive information. This is the world’s biggest mining economy. There is information going through government agencies that — Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
(1)–(4) That was a lot of questions. We accept what the Auditor General has found; we do not dispute that. I acknowledge that there are failings and deficiencies in the security of the systems. The member for Midland implies that a whole lot of things are happening. Mrs M.H. Roberts : That is from the report; I have not implied it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I know it is from the report; I understand that. I am conceding and clearly acknowledging that security across government is not to the standard required now, given the capacity of people to hack in. This is a bit like a dog chasing its tail, because the standards will continue to go up and up. The ability of people to hack into what are regarded as some of the most secure systems in the world has demonstrated that they have been able to break into them — Mr E.S. Ripper : Ours must be some of the least secure in the world. They have gone backwards in the last two years. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not believe that that is the case at all. We will take on board what the Auditor General has found and recommended and we will act upon that. I reassure members that the government has not just been sitting back doing nothing. Maybe we should be doing more; I concede that. However, a lot of work has been going on with the commonwealth, including commonwealth security agencies, on protecting particularly commercially sensitive information. This is the world’s biggest mining economy. There is information going through government agencies that — Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : That is from the report; I have not implied it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I know it is from the report; I understand that. I am conceding and clearly acknowledging that security across government is not to the standard required now, given the capacity of people to hack in. This is a bit like a dog chasing its tail, because the standards will continue to go up and up. The ability of people to hack into what are regarded as some of the most secure systems in the world has demonstrated that they have been able to break into them — Mr E.S. Ripper : Ours must be some of the least secure in the world. They have gone backwards in the last two years. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not believe that that is the case at all. We will take on board what the Auditor General has found and recommended and we will act upon that. I reassure members that the government has not just been sitting back doing nothing. Maybe we should be doing more; I concede that. However, a lot of work has been going on with the commonwealth, including commonwealth security agencies, on protecting particularly commercially sensitive information. This is the world’s biggest mining economy. There is information going through government agencies that — Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I know it is from the report; I understand that. I am conceding and clearly acknowledging that security across government is not to the standard required now, given the capacity of people to hack in. This is a bit like a dog chasing its tail, because the standards will continue to go up and up. The ability of people to hack into what are regarded as some of the most secure systems in the world has demonstrated that they have been able to break into them — Mr E.S. Ripper : Ours must be some of the least secure in the world. They have gone backwards in the last two years. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not believe that that is the case at all. We will take on board what the Auditor General has found and recommended and we will act upon that. I reassure members that the government has not just been sitting back doing nothing. Maybe we should be doing more; I concede that. However, a lot of work has been going on with the commonwealth, including commonwealth security agencies, on protecting particularly commercially sensitive information. This is the world’s biggest mining economy. There is information going through government agencies that — Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Ours must be some of the least secure in the world. They have gone backwards in the last two years. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not believe that that is the case at all. We will take on board what the Auditor General has found and recommended and we will act upon that. I reassure members that the government has not just been sitting back doing nothing. Maybe we should be doing more; I concede that. However, a lot of work has been going on with the commonwealth, including commonwealth security agencies, on protecting particularly commercially sensitive information. This is the world’s biggest mining economy. There is information going through government agencies that — Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not believe that that is the case at all. We will take on board what the Auditor General has found and recommended and we will act upon that. I reassure members that the government has not just been sitting back doing nothing. Maybe we should be doing more; I concede that. However, a lot of work has been going on with the commonwealth, including commonwealth security agencies, on protecting particularly commercially sensitive information. This is the world’s biggest mining economy. There is information going through government agencies that — Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
(2) Does it concern the Premier that staff contractors and maintenance people have unauthorised access to server rooms or that over 2 000 network accounts for former employees remain active across 46 agencies that were examined? (3) Are you aware that in several agencies, critical files for payments to staff and external suppliers can be read or manipulated prior to processing? (4) Which agency failed to have appropriate software licensing controls and then paid an out-of-court settlement of more than $6 million? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) That was a lot of questions. We accept what the Auditor General has found; we do not dispute that. I acknowledge that there are failings and deficiencies in the security of the systems. The member for Midland implies that a whole lot of things are happening. Mrs M.H. Roberts : That is from the report; I have not implied it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I know it is from the report; I understand that. I am conceding and clearly acknowledging that security across government is not to the standard required now, given the capacity of people to hack in. This is a bit like a dog chasing its tail, because the standards will continue to go up and up. The ability of people to hack into what are regarded as some of the most secure systems in the world has demonstrated that they have been able to break into them — Mr E.S. Ripper : Ours must be some of the least secure in the world. They have gone backwards in the last two years. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not believe that that is the case at all. We will take on board what the Auditor General has found and recommended and we will act upon that. I reassure members that the government has not just been sitting back doing nothing. Maybe we should be doing more; I concede that. However, a lot of work has been going on with the commonwealth, including commonwealth security agencies, on protecting particularly commercially sensitive information. This is the world’s biggest mining economy. There is information going through government agencies that — Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
(3) Are you aware that in several agencies, critical files for payments to staff and external suppliers can be read or manipulated prior to processing? (4) Which agency failed to have appropriate software licensing controls and then paid an out-of-court settlement of more than $6 million? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) That was a lot of questions. We accept what the Auditor General has found; we do not dispute that. I acknowledge that there are failings and deficiencies in the security of the systems. The member for Midland implies that a whole lot of things are happening. Mrs M.H. Roberts : That is from the report; I have not implied it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I know it is from the report; I understand that. I am conceding and clearly acknowledging that security across government is not to the standard required now, given the capacity of people to hack in. This is a bit like a dog chasing its tail, because the standards will continue to go up and up. The ability of people to hack into what are regarded as some of the most secure systems in the world has demonstrated that they have been able to break into them — Mr E.S. Ripper : Ours must be some of the least secure in the world. They have gone backwards in the last two years. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not believe that that is the case at all. We will take on board what the Auditor General has found and recommended and we will act upon that. I reassure members that the government has not just been sitting back doing nothing. Maybe we should be doing more; I concede that. However, a lot of work has been going on with the commonwealth, including commonwealth security agencies, on protecting particularly commercially sensitive information. This is the world’s biggest mining economy. There is information going through government agencies that — Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
(4) Which agency failed to have appropriate software licensing controls and then paid an out-of-court settlement of more than $6 million? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) That was a lot of questions. We accept what the Auditor General has found; we do not dispute that. I acknowledge that there are failings and deficiencies in the security of the systems. The member for Midland implies that a whole lot of things are happening. Mrs M.H. Roberts : That is from the report; I have not implied it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I know it is from the report; I understand that. I am conceding and clearly acknowledging that security across government is not to the standard required now, given the capacity of people to hack in. This is a bit like a dog chasing its tail, because the standards will continue to go up and up. The ability of people to hack into what are regarded as some of the most secure systems in the world has demonstrated that they have been able to break into them — Mr E.S. Ripper : Ours must be some of the least secure in the world. They have gone backwards in the last two years. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not believe that that is the case at all. We will take on board what the Auditor General has found and recommended and we will act upon that. I reassure members that the government has not just been sitting back doing nothing. Maybe we should be doing more; I concede that. However, a lot of work has been going on with the commonwealth, including commonwealth security agencies, on protecting particularly commercially sensitive information. This is the world’s biggest mining economy. There is information going through government agencies that — Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) That was a lot of questions. We accept what the Auditor General has found; we do not dispute that. I acknowledge that there are failings and deficiencies in the security of the systems. The member for Midland implies that a whole lot of things are happening. Mrs M.H. Roberts : That is from the report; I have not implied it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I know it is from the report; I understand that. I am conceding and clearly acknowledging that security across government is not to the standard required now, given the capacity of people to hack in. This is a bit like a dog chasing its tail, because the standards will continue to go up and up. The ability of people to hack into what are regarded as some of the most secure systems in the world has demonstrated that they have been able to break into them — Mr E.S. Ripper : Ours must be some of the least secure in the world. They have gone backwards in the last two years. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not believe that that is the case at all. We will take on board what the Auditor General has found and recommended and we will act upon that. I reassure members that the government has not just been sitting back doing nothing. Maybe we should be doing more; I concede that. However, a lot of work has been going on with the commonwealth, including commonwealth security agencies, on protecting particularly commercially sensitive information. This is the world’s biggest mining economy. There is information going through government agencies that — Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
(1)–(4) That was a lot of questions. We accept what the Auditor General has found; we do not dispute that. I acknowledge that there are failings and deficiencies in the security of the systems. The member for Midland implies that a whole lot of things are happening. Mrs M.H. Roberts : That is from the report; I have not implied it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I know it is from the report; I understand that. I am conceding and clearly acknowledging that security across government is not to the standard required now, given the capacity of people to hack in. This is a bit like a dog chasing its tail, because the standards will continue to go up and up. The ability of people to hack into what are regarded as some of the most secure systems in the world has demonstrated that they have been able to break into them — Mr E.S. Ripper : Ours must be some of the least secure in the world. They have gone backwards in the last two years. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not believe that that is the case at all. We will take on board what the Auditor General has found and recommended and we will act upon that. I reassure members that the government has not just been sitting back doing nothing. Maybe we should be doing more; I concede that. However, a lot of work has been going on with the commonwealth, including commonwealth security agencies, on protecting particularly commercially sensitive information. This is the world’s biggest mining economy. There is information going through government agencies that — Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : That is from the report; I have not implied it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I know it is from the report; I understand that. I am conceding and clearly acknowledging that security across government is not to the standard required now, given the capacity of people to hack in. This is a bit like a dog chasing its tail, because the standards will continue to go up and up. The ability of people to hack into what are regarded as some of the most secure systems in the world has demonstrated that they have been able to break into them — Mr E.S. Ripper : Ours must be some of the least secure in the world. They have gone backwards in the last two years. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not believe that that is the case at all. We will take on board what the Auditor General has found and recommended and we will act upon that. I reassure members that the government has not just been sitting back doing nothing. Maybe we should be doing more; I concede that. However, a lot of work has been going on with the commonwealth, including commonwealth security agencies, on protecting particularly commercially sensitive information. This is the world’s biggest mining economy. There is information going through government agencies that — Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I know it is from the report; I understand that. I am conceding and clearly acknowledging that security across government is not to the standard required now, given the capacity of people to hack in. This is a bit like a dog chasing its tail, because the standards will continue to go up and up. The ability of people to hack into what are regarded as some of the most secure systems in the world has demonstrated that they have been able to break into them — Mr E.S. Ripper : Ours must be some of the least secure in the world. They have gone backwards in the last two years. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not believe that that is the case at all. We will take on board what the Auditor General has found and recommended and we will act upon that. I reassure members that the government has not just been sitting back doing nothing. Maybe we should be doing more; I concede that. However, a lot of work has been going on with the commonwealth, including commonwealth security agencies, on protecting particularly commercially sensitive information. This is the world’s biggest mining economy. There is information going through government agencies that — Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Ours must be some of the least secure in the world. They have gone backwards in the last two years. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not believe that that is the case at all. We will take on board what the Auditor General has found and recommended and we will act upon that. I reassure members that the government has not just been sitting back doing nothing. Maybe we should be doing more; I concede that. However, a lot of work has been going on with the commonwealth, including commonwealth security agencies, on protecting particularly commercially sensitive information. This is the world’s biggest mining economy. There is information going through government agencies that — Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not believe that that is the case at all. We will take on board what the Auditor General has found and recommended and we will act upon that. I reassure members that the government has not just been sitting back doing nothing. Maybe we should be doing more; I concede that. However, a lot of work has been going on with the commonwealth, including commonwealth security agencies, on protecting particularly commercially sensitive information. This is the world’s biggest mining economy. There is information going through government agencies that — Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr E.S. Ripper : That is why it is so serious. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Exactly; that is why we are acting on it, and have been for some time. There have been attempts to break into that record system for various purposes. That is why we are working particularly closely with the commonwealth on that. Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr M. McGowan : What are the attempts to break in? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am not going to go through that. I am not, because by its very nature it is secure information. We are aware of that issue, and we have had ASIO and other groups working with the state government on that issue. Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr M. McGowan : ASIO? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes. We will continue to take on board the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report, and, yes, there will need to be a greater enhanced effort to protect security.
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