Television Interview, Today Show

SUBJECTS: Annual Cyber Threat Report for 2025-26; Digital Duty of Care; Economy

HOST, TOM STEINFORT: To discuss this and more, we're joined by the Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles from Canberra. Appreciate your time, Deputy Prime Minister. These potential malicious cyber activity attacks that we're talking about, they're reported to be up almost 80 per cent. I mean, it's a pretty confronting number.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, RICHARD MARLES: Well, it's actually 20 per cent on over the last year, but it's still a very significant number. About 1,500 incidents have been responded to by the Australian Signal Directorate and that's a big jump relative to the increases that we've seen in previous years. And what's going on here is the use of AI. Malicious actors are now able to use AI to find vulnerabilities in the systems of companies, of organisations and to exploit them. And so this is a much more challenging environment that people are operating in and it's really important that people make their responses to that.

HOST, SYLVIA JEFFREYS: The difficulty here for you as a government is how do you actually tackle this as an issue issue while you're also courting AI companies for investment?

MARLES: Well, I mean, AI has a lot of upside to it and in fact, in this issue, in respect of this issue, it's a good example of it. So, firstly, what we're doing in respect of talking to companies and organisations about how to deal with this is firstly, you've got to get rid of your old systems. If you've got an old system which is connected to the internet, that is a gateway for a malicious actor. You've got to take time to safeguard your systems, even if that means bringing systems down for a couple of to do that work. But the third point is you've got to use AI as well. AI is a really important tool here in defending your systems. There's lots of AI products out there. You can go to cyber.gov.au and there's a whole lot of advice about how to use it, but it's really important that you're using this tool as well to harden your systems.

STEINFORT: All right, well, social media is very much in the spotlight at the moment as well. The PM has said that the rise in anger and threats online is being fuelled by social media platforms, particularly in the wake of that terrible on MP Helen Haines. How is that going to be addressed in the duty of care bill?

MARLES: Well, the digital duty of care is firstly about making sure that tech companies take responsibility for the material and the products they are putting in front of our children. And that is critically important. I mean, we have a duty of care in respect of other products, be it a car or whatever else is in the marketplace where we rely on it for our safety. Or it should be no different when we're talking about online, where, you know, so many of our young people are spending a significant amount of their time. And that's what this, that's what the digital duty of care represents. But I think we are seeing, as the Prime Minister has said, as others have obviously observed, you know, heat in the commentary, the posts that people see online, and it is a concern. And obviously, you know, there's been a focus in respect of that, in respect to politicians over the last week, given the terrible incident last week, in respect of Helen Haines. It is politicians, but it's not just politicians. I mean, that heat is being felt right across the board and it's why we're very much calling for, in the public discourse, to try and turn the temperature down. And I think we've all got a responsibility to play a part in that.

JEFFREYS: You're right that heat and vitriol is everywhere, right across society. But let's move on. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has admitted he spends too much time locked in windowless rooms instead of consulting Cabinet colleagues. Is he living in an echo chamber?

MARLES: No. I mean, firstly. Well, I mean, the Treasurer is doing a great job managing our economy. You look at where Australia sits relative to the rest of the world in terms of our employment levels, in terms of our debt levels, in terms of what we've experienced with growth over the past few years. I mean, our economy is a standout relative to the rest of the world- 

STEINFORT: There are some people that certainly challenge that it's a standout- the standout is interest rates for a lot of people and our inflation that we can't get under control.

MARLES: Well, that is a challenge and it's a challenge which is being experienced right around the world. And again, it's why this Treasurer, in terms of his leadership of the economy, has been focused on cost of living measures. And we're certainly not making an argument that people aren't doing it tough. There are a lot of challenges associated with our economy, but relative to the rest of the world, you know, we are weathering what is happening around the world in a comparatively good way.

JEFFREYS: Does he need to consult his cabinet colleagues more, though?

MARLES: All I can say is that in respect of my engagement with Jim Chalmers, it couldn't be better. And he, you know, we talk frequently in relation to issues in my portfolio, and I think other Cabinet members would say the same.

STEINFORT: All right, well, Deputy Prime Minister, appreciate your time joining us on the program this morning. 

ENDS