Vic government eyes boost for health services’ cyber security

The Victorian government will seek to boost the security of networks employed by the state’s health services.

The state government budget, handed down today, includes FY18 spending of $11.9 million on increasing cyber security for 29 Victorian Health Services networks. The funding is to implement preventative cyber security controls and to monitor the security of systems across the network.

There is also $4.8 million over four years for the state’s Office of the Commissioner for Privacy and Data Protection to monitor data security across government agencies.

The government is also investing in upgrading IT for a number of the state’s courts, including $22.4 million over four years on a new case management system for the Magistrates’ Court and the Children’s Court.

“The system will enable better information sharing between courts and other agencies, and provide better access to case information, including details relevant to family violence intervention order applications,” budget documents state.

“This will enable more efficient management of courts and inform judicial decisions that help keep victims safe.”

In total, $89.2 million will be spent on upgrading court IT systems, the government said. In addition, $10.9 million has been earmarked for new AV system at the state’s Supreme Court, which will allow witnesses to appear via video link.

The government said it would spend $45 million on boosting communications and the digital economy in regional areas of the state, including $11 million on the Mobile Black Spot Program, $7 million on regional broadband projects, and $7 million for free public Wi-Fi Shepparton and Geelong.

The government plans to spend $12 million to “support the adaption of internet enabled on-farm technologies in Victoria’s North-West, the Macalister Irrigation District, the Murray-Darling Basin and the Serpentine region,” budget documents state.