Developing cyber-security policies that penetrate Australian defence acquisitions

Technological edge on the battlespace has been one of Australia's military advantages within Southeast Asia. This is partly due to the relative larger size of the Australian economy and its ability to procure advanced defence systems compared to the region. However, by 2030, it is envisaged that Australia will slip to being the 23rd largest economy in the world, slightly smaller than Thailand's and similar in size to Malaysia's (Hawksworth and Chan, 2015). This will significantly erode Australia's financial advantage, as other regional nations will be able to afford advanced weapon systems, including cutting- edge cyber capabilities.