Recently, the Executive Officer represented the Council at the Cyber Wardens’ strategic roundtable in Fremantle.

Cyber Wardens is an initiative of the Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia, supported by the Australian Government and an industry alliance led by Telstra, CommBank and the Australian Cyber Security Centre.

The session focused on enhancing the cyber resilience of Small to Medium Enterprises (SME) and subcontractors in WA. It brought together key stakeholders, including the Hon. Dr Anne Aly MP, Minister for Small Business (pictured), WA Small Business Commissioner Saj Abdoolakhan, and senior representatives from Fulton Hogan, CommBank, the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the Department of Home Affairs, AusIndustry, and leaders across the infrastructure and critical supply chain sectors.

The discussion centred on practical, scalable solutions to help SMEs safeguard their operations, with a spotlight on the federally funded Cyber Wardens program. Designed to equip small businesses and their frontline staff with simple, accessible cyber safety training, the free program aims to make cyber resilience part of the day-to-day culture in workplaces across Australia.

This roundtable is especially relevant for the freight and logistics sector, where supply chains rely on a complex web of small businesses and subcontractors. As cyber threats become more frequent and sophisticated, even a minor breach at one point in the supply chain can have significant impacts across the whole supply network.

The 10 minute Cyber Wardens program is free and offers sole traders, small business owners and employees the basic cyber security skills to protect their business against cyber crime. For more information visit cyberwardens.com.au.