The Turnbull Government recently released the discussion paper, “Strengthening the National Security of Australia’s Critical Infrastructure”, to seek views on managing the complex and evolving national security risks to Australia’s critical infrastructure.
The Government is seeking views of stakeholders in relation to the operation of the Government’s new Critical Infrastructure Centre, including how an assets register should be developed and maintained to achieve a consolidated picture of critical infrastructure ownership in high risk sectors.
The paper explores how the Critical Infrastructure Centre can best work with state and territory governments, industry and investors to develop additional measures to tackle complex and evolving risks and engage more closely with critical infrastructure owners, operators and regulators.
The Critical Infrastructure Centre will develop national security risk assessments and advice, coordinated across government, to better support decision-making on investment transactions. It will also provide greater certainty and clarity to investors and industry on the types of assets that will attract national security scrutiny.
This invaluable information will help Australia to maintain strong foreign investment while ensuring national security risks are appropriately managed and mitigated.
More information on the Critical Infrastructure Centre, including the discussion paper is available on the Attorney-General’s website.
The discussion paper follows the Government’s announcement on 23 January 2017 to establish a Critical Infrastructure Centre.
Submissions close on 21 March 2017.
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