House Select Committee on Cyber Security for Small to Medium Sized Businesses and Organisations — hearing of 19 October 2026: transcript & video · Polyfact

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House Select Committee on Cyber Security for Small to Medium Sized Businesses and Organisations

18 October 2026

Contents updated on 19 Oct 2026

Formal public hearing of the House Select Committee on Cyber Security for Small to Medium Sized Businesses and Organisations with academic witnesses giving evidence.

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Public hearing — Select Committee on Cyber Security for Small to Medium Sized Businesses and Organisations

15:08

Opening statements

15:08

Chair — opening of the hearing and procedural remarks

15:08

Dr Aladin Chiduo Kwani — introduction

17:18

Associate Professor Darcy Allen — introduction

17:31

Chair — invitation to Professor Gondal

17:42

Professor Iqbal Gondal — introduction

17:45

Chair — reminder on proceedings and invitation for opening statements

17:55

Dr Aladin Chiduo Kwani — opening statement on SME cyber security posture

18:44

Unidentified speaker — acknowledgment to the Chair

22:00

Chair — thanks to Dr Kwani and transition

22:04

Associate Professor Darcy Allen — opening statement on AI for cyber defence

22:18

Professor Chris Berg — introduction

24:40

Professor Iqbal Gondal — opening statement on SME vulnerabilities and AI

25:19

Questions from members — AI and SME cyber security

30:48

Chair — thanks to witnesses and introduction to question phase

30:48

Unidentified member — procedural remarks on ordering of questions

31:52

Question from Ms Aldred to Associate Professor Allen — AI collaboration for SME cyber security

32:08

Question from a member on heavy-handed AI guardrails for cyber defence

33:48

Question from Ms Clatworthy on practical AI cyber defence tools for small local businesses

37:06

Question from Ms Price on making cyber security language understandable for SMEs

42:47

Question from Ms Frost on SME ransomware payments and backups

50:27

Question from Ms Chaney to Professor Berg on AI regulation and SME defensive capacity

54:32

Follow-up from Ms Chaney to Professor Berg on AI deployment safeguards and cyber defence

58:40

Question from Ms Chaney to Dr Chidukwani on a national SME cyber security validation program

01:00:52

Questions from members — SME cyber security implementation and incentives

01:04:23

Question from Ms Chaney to Dr Chidukwani on SME cyber perception–practice gap

01:04:23

Question from Chair Sitou on incentivising SME cyber security implementation and standards

01:07:48

Public hearing — InfoExchange and IDCARE

01:16:22

Opening statements — InfoExchange and IDCARE

01:16:22

Introduction of InfoExchange and IDCARE witnesses and opening formalities

01:16:22

Opening statement by Mr David Spriggs (InfoExchange)

01:18:33

Opening statement by Ms Charlotte De Cicchi (IDCARE)

01:20:45

Questions from members — Cyber support programs for SMEs and not‑for‑profits

01:22:33

Question from Chair Sitou on program reach, implementation and evidence of impact

01:22:33

Question from Ms Price on declining NFP cyber maturity and targeted government funding

01:29:18

Question from Ms Chaney to Ms De Cicchi (IDCARE) on SME cyber advice from AI chatbots versus human support services

01:34:58

Question from Ms Chaney to Ms De Cicchi (IDCARE) on IT providers, cyber insurance and paid platform support

01:39:06

Question from Chair Sitou to Mr Spriggs (InfoExchange) on SMB 1001 standards, feasibility and NFP training

01:46:13

Question from a committee member to Ms De Cicchi (IDCARE) on ransomware demands and ransom payments

01:52:31

Public hearing — Australian Institute of Company Directors

02:14:40

Opening statements — Australian Institute of Company Directors

02:14:40

Chair Sitou — Opening of AICD hearing and procedural remarks

02:14:40

Mr Mitchell (AICD) — Opening statement on SME cyber governance and standards

02:15:55

Questions from members — Cyber standards, incentives, insurance and training

02:19:06

Question from Chair Sitou on proportional cyber standards and procurement frameworks

02:19:06

Question from Chair Sitou on SMB 1001 and preferred standard design

02:21:53

Question from Chair Sitou on incentives for SMEs to meet cyber standards

02:24:21

Question from Chair Sitou on barriers to standalone cyber insurance

02:26:34

Question from a committee member on tailoring cyber training for diverse SMEs and NFPs

02:29:06

Question from a committee member on confusing cyber security language

02:31:41

Question from a committee member on Privacy Act exemptions and breach reporting for small business

02:35:32

Question from a committee member on effective channels to reach and support small businesses

02:39:53

Question from Ms Clutterham on advisory boards and matching cyber‑skilled directors to SMEs

02:44:58

Question from Chair Sitou on proportional cyber requirements in government procurement

02:49:46

Public hearing — Australian Charities and Not‑for‑profits Commission

03:00:12

Opening statements — Australian Charities and Not‑for‑profits Commission

03:00:12

Chair Sitou — opening of ACNC session and procedural remarks

03:00:12

Ms Bennett — Opening statement on charity sector cyber risks and ACNC role

03:01:27

Questions from members — Cyber governance, guidance tools and entry points for charities

03:05:52

Chair Sitou and Ms Bennett — Relationship between ACNC, InfoXchange and referrals for charities

03:05:52

Chair Sitou and ACNC officials — Services supporting practical cyber implementation for charities

03:07:12

Chair Sitou and Ms Bennett — Entry points and ongoing nudges on privacy and cyber controls for charities

03:09:13

Chair Sitou and Ms Bennett — Inclusion of charities in cyber.gov.au and single front door for guidance

03:12:12

Question from Ms Price on usage and feedback for ACNC cyber governance toolkit

03:15:21

Questions from Ms Clutterham on cyber resilience, donations and governance expectations

03:18:19

Question from Chair Sitou on peer-to-peer learning among charities

03:23:01

Public hearing — Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman

04:00:10

Opening statements — Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman

04:00:10

Chair Sitou — Opening of ASBFEO session and witness introductions

04:00:10

Ombudsman Macpherson-Smith — Brief opening statement

04:01:25

Questions from members — Cyber information hubs, implementation vs certification, and insurance for small businesses

04:01:43

Chair Sitou and Ombudsman Macpherson-Smith — Single online hub for cyber guidance

04:01:43

Chair Sitou, Ombudsman Macpherson-Smith and Mr Storer — Concierge-style advisory service

04:03:18

Chair Sitou, Ombudsman Macpherson-Smith and Mr Storer — Education versus certification and a cyber TrustMark

04:05:11

Chair Sitou, Ombudsman Macpherson-Smith and colleagues — Role of cyber insurance products and incentives for capability uplift

04:10:59

Ms Aldred and Ombudsman Macpherson-Smith — Trends in small business digital disputes and AI adoption

04:18:23

Mr Abdo and Ombudsman Macpherson-Smith — Sector-based versus blanket cyber standards for SMEs

04:26:31

Chair Sitou and Ombudsman Macpherson-Smith — External dispute resolution for social media platforms

04:30:02

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House Select Committee on Cyber Security for Small to Medium Sized Businesses and Organisations

18 October 2026

House Select Committee on Cyber Security for Small to Medium Sized Businesses and Organisations Mon, 19 Oct 2026 Parliament of Australia

Follow its sittings

15:07 - 15:27

I now welcome our colleagues and friends from academia to give evidence today. And for the Hansard record, could you please state your name and the capacity in which you appear? Oh, apologies, I've missed a page.

15:28 - 17:18

Speaker 1

My opening statement. Good morning and welcome to the public hearing of the Select Committee on Cyber Security for Small to Medium Sized Businesses and Organisations. My name is Sally Sitou, I'm the chair of the committee and I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners on the land on which we meet and are zooming in from. I would like to pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging and acknowledge the cultures of any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people present with us today.

This hearing will be broadcast on the Parliament's website and the proof and official transcripts of the proceedings will be published on the committee's webpage. I remind members of the media who may be present or listening online of the need to fairly and accurately report the proceedings of the committee. I'd also like to take this opportunity to note that the committee has put out a survey to hear from small businesses and organisations about their experiences with cybersecurity. This is an easy way for small business owners to make their voices heard by the committee and the survey is still open and available on the inquiry website. Now, I'd like to invite our witnesses here who are giving evidence today.

For the Hansard record, could you please state your name and the capacity in which you appear before the committee? Might kick off with Dr. Chiduo Wak- Dakwani, and then followed by Associate Professor Allen, Professor Berg, and Professor Gondal.

17:18 - 17:31

Speaker 6

Thank you, Chair. This is Dr. Aladin Chiduo Kwani, and I'm presenting in my personal capacity as a cybersecurity practitioner, educator, and researcher.

17:31 - 17:33

Speaker 3

Thank you.

17:33 - 17:42

Speaker 4

My name is Darcy Allen and I'm appearing in my private capacity today. And my colleague Chris Berg is on another link, he will join in a moment.

17:42 - 17:45

Professor Gondal?

17:45 - 17:55

Speaker 5

I'm Professor Iqbal Gondal.

I am also appearing in personal capacity, although I work with RMIT University.

Ask anything about this video — I analyse its transcript to answer.

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