Microsoft and the Australian government have signed a fresh Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cyber security in the face of emerging digital threats.
The MOU was signed on Tuesday (9 June) in Canberra by Tony Burke, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Cyber Security, and Lisa Monaco, president of global affairs at Microsoft.
The deal aims to ensure collaboration and future cooperation between the signatories regarding cloud infrastructure security, artificial intelligence, and critical cyber protection.
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“We can’t stop all cyber attacks. But agreements like this make sure we’re more resilient,” Burke said.
“There’s no better example of private-public partnership than cyber, we rely on each other to keep Australians safe online.
“Microsoft is a critical partner in cyber security, and this agreement takes our relationship to the next level.”
As part of the MOU, a specific framework for operations regarding “strategic dialogue” between Microsoft and the Australian government was secured.
This is expected to monitor Australia’s digital resilience and evaluate the changing nature of digital threats. It also highlighted the importance of ensuring that “vital services” remain under sovereign Australian control.
“This collaborative approach is a strong example of how governments and industry can work together to support a more digitally resilient future, delivering meaningful benefits for the economy and society,” Monaco said.
Other areas of focus for the two parties’ collaboration include threat information sharing, secure adoption of AI services in government, and policy that seeks to improve Australia’s digital responses.
“This partnership demonstrates what is possible when government and industry work together to strengthen critical systems, support trusted innovation, and ensure new technologies are deployed securely and responsibly in the national interest,” Monaco said.
The partnership comes following Microsoft’s $25 billion investment in Australian AI and cloud infrastructures back in April, when Microsoft chairman and CEO Satya Nadella visited.
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