The Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) has put forward a bold recommendation: urging the federal government to secure volume discounts on cybersecurity services and extend them to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) at low or no cost.
This proposal, part of AIIA’s Horizon 2 submission to the 2023–2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy, signals a shift in how we think about national resilience.
SMEs are not just participants in the economy. They are critical infrastructure in their own right. Yet they remain disproportionately exposed to cyber threats. AIIA’s call to action reframes cybersecurity as a shared responsibility, and a strategic investment.
Why Bulk Procurement Is More Than a Budget Play
This isn’t about trimming costs. It’s about lifting capability across the board. Bulk procurement of cybersecurity services could:
- Standardise protection across sectors
- Reduce systemic vulnerabilities
- Build sovereign capability through local delivery and workforce development
Cybermate is already aligned with this vision. Our platform is designed to make cybersecurity accessible, behavioural, and scalable, especially for compliance-driven environments and vulnerable sectors.
Cybermate Is Built for This Moment
We’re not waiting for policy to catch up. Cybermate is modular, adaptable, and ready to integrate with broader national frameworks, such as the six cyber shields outlined in the strategy.
We believe bulk procurement should prioritise solutions that:
- Combine behavioural insight with technical rigour
- Are flexible across sectors and threat levels
- Support local skills and sovereign supply chains
Cybermate doesn’t just meet these criteria. It was built with them in mind.
What Happens Next
As Horizon 2 consultation wraps, we’re actively engaging with policymakers, procurement leads, and sector partners to ensure Cybermate is part of the national conversation. We’re not responding to market needs. We’re helping define them.
If you’re a government stakeholder, sector leader, or SME advocate, we invite you to connect. Let’s turn policy into protection and make cybersecurity a shared strength, not a siloed burden.
