Building cyber resilience in local government: insights from the frontline

In 2023–24, government sectors remained among the most targeted by cyber threats in Australia, underscoring the need for local councils to strengthen their cyber resilience.1

In recent roundtables hosted by Optus in partnership with Zscaler in New South Wales and Victoria, over 30 local government leaders spanning CIOs, cyber heads, digital transformation managers and innovation leads came together to share how they are responding to the evolving threat landscape.

From limited resources to increasing compliance demands, the sessions highlighted both the urgency and complexity of securing Australia’s local government sector.

There was a strong consensus that cyber security can no longer sit solely with the IT team. Many councils are now integrating cyber into broader risk governance frameworks, encouraging buy in from leadership and promoting awareness at every level of the organisation.

To support this, short, targeted training modules including microlearning and regular phishing simulations are helping drive behaviour change across departments.

While security technology continues to evolve, most councils emphasised the importance of getting foundational controls right. The Essential Eight remains a key reference point, but capability and progress vary widely. Fully deploying and making the most of existing security technology investments was seen as a key priority before moving on to more advanced solutions.

The group explored how artificial intelligence (AI) may serve as both an enablement tool and a risk. Concerns were raised about emerging threats such as deepfakes, and the need for clear guardrails on AI use. Data remains the most critical asset, yet many councils acknowledged they still lack full visibility or ownership across their environments.

Cyber insurance continues to create friction. Rising premiums and inconsistent underwriting are compounded by an ever-expanding list of compliance demands from government bodies. Some suggested the introduction of manageable monthly objectives as a more sustainable approach to uplift.

Councils are increasingly exploring shared services to manage cost and scale security efforts however, governance remains a hurdle. Many attendees expressed a willingness to share templates, procedures and policies to reduce duplicated work and improve consistency.

The road ahead comes with challenges, including limited resources and capability gaps but, councils are not tackling this alone. Shared services, managed security support and collaboration with peers are all helping local governments take practical steps to improve their cyber resilience.

At Optus, we’re proud to partner with Zscaler to support councils in building secure, scalable digital foundations that connect and protect their communities. With solutions like Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA), councils can enable safer, faster access to the internet and cloud applications — no matter where their teams are working.

As a trusted provider to three of Australia’s largest government departments, Optus combines deep cybersecurity expertise, top-tier certified security facilities and resilient, high-performance networks to help councils simplify operations, reduce risk, and stay ahead of evolving threats.

To discuss how Optus can partner with you to strengthen your security posture, request a callback now.