Every six minutes, a new cybercrime is reported, totalling over 84,000 last year alone. As cyber threats continue to escalate across Australia, it is more vital than ever that local governments are ready to combat this emerging risk.

The Australian Signals Directorate's latest Annual Cyber Threat Report highlighted a sharp rise cyber related incidents in the 2024–25 financial year. The report revealed a 16% increase in calls to the Australian Cyber Security Hotline and an 11% rise in cyber incident responses compared to the previous year. Alarmingly, notifications of potentially malicious activity surged by 83%, underscoring the urgent need for robust cyber defence.

This comes after the recent fraud attack on Queensland's Noosa Council, where in December 2024, the council fell victim to an international scam which initially cost the council $2.3 million.

As scammers become more advanced, the losses have become more significant.   In response LGIS offer all members the opportunity to tighten their security through access to Phase 4 of our Cyber Uplift Program.

Through the Scheme, we offer all members a 50% contribution towards one of our three optional targeted support programs:

1. Vendor Cyber Risk Review - evaluates the cybersecurity posture of new and existing service providers, identifying potential risks to member operations. The review involves conducting cyber hygiene assessments, particularly for critical vendors, to detect gaps and ensure compliance with cybersecurity standards.
2. Tabletop Exercise (including phishing) - aims to enhance cyber resilience by testing and improving incident response plans through simulated cyber incident scenarios. This initiative involves facilitated exercises that evaluate and strengthen response capabilities.
3. ASD Essential Eight Gap Assessment - aims to strengthen the council's cybersecurity resilience by evaluating its current security posture and identifying improvement areas. It involves a comprehensive, tailored assessment aligned with industry standards to address each member's specific challenges.

For more information or expressions of interest please contact chong-yeow.ooi@lgiswa.com.au or your account manager.