Australia has a new Ambassador for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Jessica Hunter would replace Brendan Dowling and lead Australia’s international engagement on cyber affairs and critical technology issues.
Senator Wong said Ms Hunter would also help deliver cyber capacity and resilience building, and incident responses across the region.
“Cyber and critical technology affect all aspects of international relations,” she said.
“They underpin our national security, the protection and realisation of human rights and freedoms, global economic prosperity, sustainable development and international stability.
“For Australia, cyber and critical technology – including the rapidly evolving domain of artificial intelligence – are foreign policy priorities.”
Senator Wong said Ms Hunter would steer Australia’s international engagement under Australia’s 2023-2030 Cyber Security Strategy, focused on enhancing the country’s role as a trusted and influential global cyber leader in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
“The Strategy outlines Australia’s commitment to strengthening the capacity of our region and shaping international efforts to meet the evolving challenges of cyberspace.”
She said Ms Hunter has had a distinguished career in cyber affairs, including in the Australian Cyber Security Centre.
“She has served overseas as Head of Cyber Threat Operations Technical Teams, National Cyber Security Centre, in the United Kingdom’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ); and was seconded to the United States’ National Security Agency (NSA) as Deputy Australian Liaison Officer.”
