Agenda

Thu 21 Aug 2025

View event details
8:00AM

Registration and Networking Coffee

8:00 AM - 8:45 AM (45 mins)

8:45AM
Interactive

Opening from Public Sector Network

8:45 AM - 9:00 AM (15 mins)

9:00AM
Industry Insights

Chair Opening

9:00 AM - 9:10 AM (10 mins)

Zoe Thompson Director – Critical Infrastructure Resilience, Thales Cyber Services
9:10AM
Keynote

New, Now, Next: WA's Digital Vision

9:10 AM - 9:20 AM (10 mins)

Lisa O'Malley Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Regional Development; Ports; Science and Innovation; Medical Research, Western Australian Government
9:20AM
Keynote

The role of innovation in advancing WA’s cybersecurity posture

9:20 AM - 9:40 AM (20 mins)

Peter Gigengack Director Cyber Security, Office of Digital Government WA

  • How emerging technologies are enhancing WA's ability to predict, detect, and respond to cyber threats more effectively.
  • The importance of fostering partnerships to drive cybersecurity innovation, ensuring WA remains resilient against evolving threats.
  • Continuous skills development and innovation in cybersecurity training to ensure WA's workforce is equipped with the expertise to tackle future challenges.
9:40AM
Industry Insights

Cybersecurity resilience in a volatile world: People, process and partnership

9:40 AM - 10:00 AM (20 mins)

Steven Woodhouse Field Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) – Australia & New Zealand, Fortinet

This session examines how organisations can strengthen their defences against evolving cyber threats. This presentation highlights the importance of skilled people, effective processes, and strong partnerships. Attendees will gain practical insights into building a security-focused culture, improving response strategies, and collaborating to enhance resilience in an unpredictable digital environment.

10:00AM
Panel discussion

Overcoming unique cybersecurity challenges in rural and remote communities

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM (30 mins)

Karen Owens Chief Information Security Officer, Insurance Commission of Western Australia
Helen McLeish Chief Cybersecurity Officer, East Metropolitan Health Service WA

  • Addressing limited connectivity and infrastructure to help bridge the digital divide to improve cybersecurity capabilities.
  • Tailoring cybersecurity solutions to local needs.
  • The need for targeted cybersecurity education and outreach programs to raise awareness in rural areas, helping communities understand the risks and build trust in cybersecurity practices and technologies.
  • Enhancing collaboration and support networks
10:30AM

Morning Tea and Networking

10:30 AM - 11:10 AM (40 mins)

11:10AM
Fireside Chat

Protecting citizen data: New WA privacy and security frameworks

11:10 AM - 11:30 AM (20 mins)

  • Key provisions of Western Australia's new privacy and security frameworks.
  • Balancing innovation with privacy to support the responsible use of emerging technologies while safeguarding citizens' privacy, ensuring that data security measures are built into digital solutions from the ground up.
  • The importance of robust enforcement mechanisms and compliance with these new frameworks to foster public trust, ensuring that Western Australians feel secure in how their personal data is handled.
Dr Liming Zhu
Research Director, CSIRO’s Data 61
Helge Janicke
Professor Cyber Security, Edith Cowan University
Sonya Sherman
Principal Policy Officer (Data and Analytics), Office of Digital Government, Department of Premier and Cabinet WA
11:30AM
Industry Insights

Agents at work: Agentic AI in government, balancing innovation with risk

11:30 AM - 11:50 AM (20 mins)

Gary Savarino Field Chief Technology Officer, Sailpoint

Agentic AI is shifting from experimental tech to the backbone of organisations, with autonomous agents increasingly taking on tasks from customer support to cybersecurity. This session explores practical use cases where Agentic AI is driving efficiency and innovation, highlights emerging trends shaping its adoption, and outlines areas of caution, ranging from hallucination risks to adversarial exploitation. We'll discuss where Agentic AI fits in today’s modern architecture, and strategies to harness its power responsibly while mitigating risks like errant behaviour and exploitation by malicious actors.

11:50AM
Panel discussion

The role of AI in cyber – how government organisations will integrate futuristic technologies

11:50 AM - 12:20 PM (30 mins)

  • Enhancing threat detection with AI to respond to potential cyber threats faster and more accurately than traditional methods.
  • Utilising the potential of AI-driven automation to streamline incident response, enabling government organisations to quickly neutralise threats, reduce response times, and minimise the impact of cyberattacks.
  • How AI can help government agencies anticipate and prepare for emerging cyber risks, strengthening proactive defence strategies and reducing vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
  • The importance of ethical considerations when integrating AI into government cybersecurity frameworks, ensuring that AI technologies are used responsibly, transparently, and in compliance with privacy and security regulations.
John Edwards
Director Cyber Security (Technical), Department of Premier and Cabinet WA
Helge Janicke
Professor Cyber Security, Edith Cowan University
Rebecca Howard
Senior Manager - Product Security, Office of Digital Government WA
12:10PM
Industry Insights

Training and upskilling government employees to recognise, respond to, and prevent cyber threats, with a focus on building a culture of cyber awareness.

12:10 PM - 12:30 PM (20 mins)

12:30PM
Keynote

Cyber-resilience, fostering skills development and supporting diversity

12:30 PM - 12:50 PM (20 mins)

Stephen Woods Chief Information Security Officer, Department of Justice WA

  • Building a cyber-resilient workforce through training and education.
  • Encouraging diversity in cybersecurity roles.
  • Collaborative programs to support skill development and inclusion.
12:50PM

Lunch and Networking

12:50 PM - 2:00 PM (70 mins)

2:00PM
Roundtables

Roundtable 1: Future-proofing our nation's critical infrastructure through collaboration and supply chain management

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (60 mins)

Zoe Thompson Director – Critical Infrastructure Resilience, Thales Cyber Services
Mitchell Loughlan Security of Critical Infrastructure Partner GRC, Thales Cyber Services

A trusted future relies on effectively managing third-party dependencies within critical infrastructure operations, many of which remain unseen and underestimated.

To ensure resilience, we must take a comprehensive approach to security, spanning physical, cyber, supply chain, and personnel risks.

In this roundtable, we will explore:

  • The current state of Critical Infrastructure and its evolving security landscape.
  • The critical impact of third-party risks, highlighting sector-specific examples and the importance of a robust risk management framework.
  • Strategies to prioritise supplier diversification, including the role of sovereign suppliers in enhancing national security.

As nationally significant operators, Critical Infrastructure providers must cultivate strong local partnerships with vendors, service providers, and industry leaders to build a more secure and resilient future.

2:00PM
Roundtables

Roundtable 2: Agents at work: Readiness, risk and the rise of agentic AI in government

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (60 mins)

Gary Savarino Field Chief Technology Officer, Sailpoint
Andy Edmonds Regional Vice President, Sailpoint

Agentic AI is no longer experimental, it’s rapidly becoming a new operational layer within government, with autonomous agents increasingly tasked with decisions, coordination, and interaction across digital services. From cybersecurity to service delivery, these agents introduce new opportunities for efficiency, but also introduce a new identity class that is persistent, intelligent, and capable of autonomous action, with one critical question: Are we ready? Ready not just to adopt Agentic AI, but to govern it securely, especially as most agencies are still grappling with foundational challenges across human, third-party, and machine identity. How can we safely embrace these emerging technologies unless we first ensure the basics are covered? And how do we extend identity and access governance to include autonomous agents?

What We’ll Explore:

  • What is Agentic AI? - How it differs from traditional automation and why it represents a new class of digital actor.
  • Why Readiness Matter - The shift toward Agentic AI demands more than enthusiasm—it requires governance, security, and identity maturity.
  • Where the Risks Lie - From hallucinations and misaligned actions to adversarial manipulation and uncontrolled sprawl—what happens when agents go rogue?
  • Securing the Foundation First Before expanding into new identity classes, how well are we securing existing workforce, third-party, and machine identities?
  • Governance Models for Agentic AI - How can public sector agencies build frameworks that account for intent, explainability, access control, and lifecycle management?
  • What It Takes to Be Ready - Discussion on practical steps to assess organisational readiness, close security gaps, and responsibly adopt agent-based systems.
2:00PM
Roundtables

Roundtable 3: The best defense is a good offense: Barriers and solutions for uniting Government departments on cyber incident management

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (60 mins)

Jane Standish Director – Digital Government Lead, CyberCX
  • Explore opportunities to prepare for incidents before they happen. What does good incident response look like?
  • Discuss key insights gleaned from more than 500 significant cyber compromise event responses across the nation in the past year
  • The most dangerous threats are coordinated and synchronised. What should be on your Cyber checklist for 2025?
2:00PM
Roundtables

Roundtable 4: Presented by Scyne Advisory

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (60 mins)

2:00PM
Roundtables

Roundtable 5: Presented by One Step Group

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (60 mins)

2:00PM
Roundtables

Roundtable 6: Breaking silos: Cross-discipline collaboration in vulnerability management

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (60 mins)

Cyber Team East Metropolitan Health Service (EMHS), Government of Western Australia

In today’s increasingly digital and interconnected healthcare environment, managing vulnerabilities is no longer solely the responsibility of IT or cybersecurity teams.

Effective vulnerability management requires cohesive collaboration between various stakeholders.

This roundtable discussion aims to explore the challenges, best practices, and opportunities for fostering effective communication and coordination in addressing security risks.

Participants will discuss real-world scenarios, examine the role of organisational culture and leadership, and identify tools and processes for effective vulnerability management

3:10PM
Keynote

Enhancing Law Enforcement Cybersecurity: Safeguarding WA Police Data in the Age of Digital Threats

3:10 PM - 3:30 PM (20 mins)

Mark Barratt Chief Information Security Officer, WA Police Force

  • Strategies for safeguarding WA Police Force systems and networks from evolving cyber threats, focusing on the importance of securing sensitive law enforcement data.
  • Building partnerships between government agencies, private sectors, and global cybersecurity communities to improve the detection and mitigation of cyber threats.
  • Strategies to minimise insider-threats to mitigate targeted social engineering by organised crime gangs and maintain public trust in law enforcement systems and confidential data.
3:30PM
Panel discussion

Creating a Cyber-Resilient Public Sector - Collaborative discussion on priorities for 2025 and beyond

3:30 PM - 4:00 PM (30 mins)

  • Cultivating WA’s cyber economy and strategic partnerships.
  • Leveraging the ecosystem’s expertise and aligning strategies – taking the most effective approach to collaboration and partnerships.
  • Sense-checking best approaches to growing local capability, supporting industry maturity and fostering investment opportunities.
  • Supporting local cyber businesses and start-ups to develop and up-scale.
Demogene Smith
Chief Information Officer, South Metropolitan Health Service
Prashant Singh
Cyber Security Manager, Department of Education, Western Australia
Serena King
Assistant Director Cyber Security Engagement WA, National Office of Cyber Security, Department of Home Affairs
Jane Standish
Director – Digital Government Lead, CyberCX
4:00PM
Industry Insights

Closing remarks from chair

4:00 PM - 4:10 PM (10 mins)

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