With 36 years experience in the IT industry, Bill is one of Australia's foremost experts in the field of information security and currently heads the School of Data Communications at the Queensland University of Technology.
A Fellow of the ACS who served as our representative to the IFIP Technical Committee on Security (TC-11) from 1984 to 1999, including a seven-year stint as Committee Chair, Bill received IFIP's Silver Core Award in 1992 in recognition of his contributions to the international field of computer and telecommunications security.
"I believe computer security is a critical issue that must be addressed directly by our political leaders," said Bill, who questions what he called the laissez-faire attitude taken by most governments in relation to data and network security.
"If you agree that nations are now critically dependent on computer systems and their associated data networks for their day-to-day operation, then it seems obvious that governments must be more proactive in ensuring continuity of service.
"Since most businesses see security and safety as a cost that needs to be minimised, it's unlikely that without legislation they will be willing to accept the financial burden of implementing the level of security necessary to protect our economy," he said.
Bill pointed to other sectors, such as the aviation, motor vehicle, pharmaceutical and food industries, which have rigidly enforced standards and laws that govern the manufacture and use of products.
"For example, in Australia we have a Motor Vehicle Standards Act that puts into the force of law highly detailed and specific standards regarding the manufacture of cars and their use, such as the requirement for seatbelts and restraints for young children.
"There is nothing like that for computers. Any standards that exist are purely voluntary and have no force of law. The quality of components like motherboards and hard drives is left entirely to market forces, which is frightening when you consider the extent to which our economy and our nation rely on computer networks," he said.
Bill first became involved in the security arena back in 1973 while working for Control Data Corporation (CDC) in the United States.
"I'd studied nuclear physics while at university and, for some reason, CDC decided that qualified me to monitor and report on an early project sponsored by the US Government to develop a new encryption standard," he said.
During the next six years, Bill held various positions within CDC in Australia and the US, participating in committees relating to the security of advanced database systems and working on a number of standards development groups.
In 1979 he founded Electronics Research Australia (now known as ERACOM), an IT security company which develops and market encryption products for the banking and finance industries in Australia, Asia and Europe.
During the 1980s, he was involved in the development of Australia's EFTPOS/ATM security standards for the banking, finance and retail industries, participating in a Standards Australia technical committee and through that, contributing to ISO activities on security.
Bill joined the Queensland Institute of Technology (now QUT) in 1988 as foundation Director of the Information Security Research Centre (ISRC), assuming his current role in 1994.
He became a Member of the Australian Science, Technology and Engineering Council (ASTEC) in 1995, serving on that body until its operations were merged with the Prime Minister's Council for this area in mid-1998.
In addition to his academic responsibilities, Bill is Chair of the Technical Advisory Board of Senetas Corporation Limited, a venture finance and technology development company based in Australia and the USA.
A visionary who draws on his extensive experience to form his view of the future, Bill stated back in 1979 that in 20 years time, people would have the equivalent of a Cray computer on their desk, a prediction that proved to be prophetic.
He believes the growing security industry offers Australia a real opportunity to develop a home-grown IT multinational.
"Australia already has a worldwide reputation in information security and cryptography and we have the expertise here to address this market, if only the government will provide the right degree of support.
"I see the opportunity, but I'm pessimistic because I don't see venture capital being available at a level sufficient to make it happen," said Bill, who pointed to Irish company Baltimore as an example of the potential.
"Baltimore has become a major presence in public key encryption and they hardly existed two years ago, so I know it can be done. It just takes the right capital and incentives - we have to be willing to follow the example of countries like Canada and Ireland and invest in our future," he said.