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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 81 asked in the Legislative Council on 19 February 2019 by Hon Peter Collier

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

HUAWEI — CYBER SECURITY COOPERATIVE RESEARCH CENTRE

81. Hon PETER COLLIER to the Leader of the House representing the Premier:

I refer to the state government–funded Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre at Edith Cowan University, which is the ''location of the WA McGowan Government's first Innovation Hub focused on cyber security''.

(1) Did the Department of the Premier and Cabinet or any other government department consult the centre prior to the decision to award Huawei the $206 million radio replacement project; and, if not, why not?

(2) If no to (1), what is the purpose of funding the McGowan government's first innovation hub focused on cybersecurity if it does not provide advice on cybersecurity in relation to critical infrastructure, including the Huawei radio replacement project?

(3) If yes to (1), what date did the centre provide advice and will the Leader of the House table that advice; and, if not, why not?

Hon SUE ELLERY replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. I note that the question was lodged on Thursday, 14 February 2019, so the answer is at that date.

(1)–(3) The former Office of the Government Chief Information Officer within the Department of Finance consulted the Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre at Edith Cowan University in relation to this matter. No formal advice was provided by the CRC. Advice on this issue was requested from and provided by the commonwealth Department of Home Affairs. Members of the opposition have previously sighted this advice at a confidential briefing held at Parliament House on 5 July 2018. As recently as yesterday—that is why I said that the question was lodged on 14 February—the Department of Home Affairs reaffirmed its previously stated position that this advice should not be publicly disclosed.