South Australia is bringing together industry, research and Defence expertise to develop a concept demonstrator that will show how technology, policy, organisational practices and human-centred design can work together to enhance protective security across Defence and critical infrastructure.

Funded through the Defence Innovation Partnership’s Collaborative Research Fund, the project Accelerating Protective Security Capability for Defence and Critical Infrastructure Industries is led by the Australian Cyber Collaboration Centre (Aus3C).

The project has received $270,000 through the Fund, with partner in-kind contributions bringing the total project value to nearly $800,000.

The collaboration brings together Aus3C, Adelaide University, Flinders University, Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG), DTEX Systems, Fivecast, Willyama and Deloitte to explore new approaches to protective security resilience in increasingly complex operating environments.

Over 12 months, the project will explore how organisations can better prepare for future protective security challenges. The consortium will identify future capability needs, develop and test protective security concepts, and produce Protective Security Capability Roadmaps that help organisations prioritise near-term uplift activities while building the foundations for longer-term resilience.

Defence Innovation Partnership Director Sumen Rai said the project highlights the value of collaboration in addressing emerging national security challenges.

“Protective security is becoming increasingly important as organisations navigate a more complex threat environment spanning cyber security, information security and workforce resilience,” Ms Rai said.

“This project brings together leading expertise from industry, research and Defence to develop practical, defence-relevant outcomes that can strengthen resilience across Defence and critical infrastructure sectors.”

“Importantly, it will help build sovereign capability in South Australia while creating knowledge and insights that can be shared more broadly across Australia’s defence and security ecosystem,” she said.

The work complements South Australia’s existing defence and innovation capabilities, including the state’s Innovation Places Framework, Lot Fourteen, the Australian Defence Training Academy and Defence SA’s cybersecurity uplift program for defence industry.

Aus3C Chief Executive Officer Guy Roberts said the project reflected the growing recognition that resilience can only be achieved through collaboration.

“Future security challenges do not respect organisational boundaries. Building resilient ecosystems requires industry, universities, government agencies and Defence stakeholders to work together to understand emerging risks and develop practical, scalable solutions,” Mr Roberts said.

“South Australia has a unique concentration of expertise across defence, research, critical technologies and cyber security. This project brings those capabilities together to help inform the next generation of protective security approaches.”

The project is expected to deliver practical tools, frameworks and insights that will help strengthen protective security capability across Australia’s defence and critical infrastructure sectors.

The Defence Innovation Partnership is a collaborative initiative of Defence SA, Defence Science and Technology Group, Flinders University and Adelaide University supporting defence-relevant research, development and innovation.