1st Australian-German 1.5 Track Cyber Security Dialogue

Group photo with delegates, from right to left: Hans-Wilhem Dünn (Cybersecurity Council Germany), Prof Mario Voigt (Quadriga University Berlin), Jeff Connolly (Siemens Pacific), Dr Beatrice Gorawantschy(KAS) Jacqie McNamara (Telstra), Prof Ben Schreer (Macquarie University), Michelle Price (AustCyber), Cyrus Delarami (Munich RE), Katja Theodorakis (KAS)

Alastair MacGibbon, Australia's National Cybersecurity Advisor and Head of the Cyber Security Centre

Expert Panel with Jeff Connolly, CEO of Siemens Pacific

Expert Panel (from left to right) with Fergus Hanson, Director International Cyberpolicy Centre at ASPI, Dr. Thomas Fitschen, Director for Cybersecurity at the German Federal Foreign Office, Australia's Ambassador for Cybersecurity Dr Tobias Feakin, chaired by Rachael Falk CEO Cyber Research Council Australia

The conference

Mike Burgess, Director-General Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) (2. from right) with Australia's Ambassador for Cyber Affairs, Dr Tobias Feakin (1.from left, Hans-Wilhelm Dünn, President Cybersecurity Council Germany (1. from right) and Dr Beatrice Gorawantschy (KAS)

Introduction of the keynote speaker by Prof Ben Schreer, Head of Department for Security Studies and Criminology at Macquarie University

Keynote Speech by Dr Tobias Feakin, Australia's Ambassador for Cyber Affairs

Dr Tobias Feakin, Australia's Ambassador for Cyber Affairs, in conversation with Prof Benjamin Schreer

Opening remarks by Prof Martina Moellering,Executive Dean Faculty of Arts Macquarie University

Opening remarks by Dr Beatrice Gorawantschy, Director KAS Regional Programme Australia and the Pacific

In cooperation with the Department of Security Studies and Criminology at Macquarie University, we brought together a group of policy-makers, academic experts and representatives from the private sector to share perspectives, open up avenues for discussion and identify areas for cooperation in this increasingly important area. Titled “Mapping the Field: The New Ecology of Cyber Security Challenges”, the dialogue was opened by Australia’s Ambassador for Cyber Affairs, Dr. Tobias Feakin. Over two days, a delegation of German cyber professionals and government representatives met with Australian counterparts to discuss the most pressing challenges and opportunities in cyber space. In particular, the conference addressed crucial aspects of contemporary cybersecurity challenges, ranging from the geopolitical level and questions about the shifting global order and international cyber norms to military cyber operations, private sector/industry perspectives, as well as the challenges of building the cyber workforce of the future.

As was highlighted during the conference, this is an area where collaborative frameworks are needed to move into the future.The 1.5 track space is a unique avenue for fostering meaningful cooperation as it allows for developing ideas among experts from the academic and think tank world, private sector stakeholders, policy makers and government representatives. It is of course difficult to sum up two intensive conference days, but if we had to distill the great discussions and exchanges into a few key take-aways, one would certainly be the shared recognition that the challenge of cybersecurity requires interconnected, holistic perspectives and approaches. Germany and Australia are well-positioned to take these discussions further in order to build strong partnerships in this area.