Legislates the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018

On 11 April 2018, the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 received assent. The Act creates a framework for managing critical infrastructure by establishing a non-public register of critical infrastructure assets, and by collecting and updating – via reporting obligations for interest holders – information on the operation, ownership and control of the assets in the register. The rules are asset-specific and ownership-neutral and hence apply to domestic and foreign owners alike. The Act also gives the Minister for Home Affairs a power of “last resort” to direct the operator of a listed asset in the registry to do or not do a specific measure to manage an identified national security risk in certain circumstances.

• Type:

  • Entry and establishment (Approval and admission)
  • Treatment and operation (Other)

• Industry:

  • Not industry specific

• Sources:

  • Federal Register of Legislation, Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018, https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2018A00029, 11 Apr 2018
  • Minister for Home Affairs (Media Releases), Government continues to safeguard critical infrastructure, http://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/peterdutton/Pages/Govt-continues-to-safeguard-critical-infrastructure.aspx, 29 Mar 2018
  • King & Wood Mallesons, New security rules for investors in critical infrastructure in Australia, http://www.kwm.com/en/au/knowledge/insights/new-security-rules-for-investors-in-critical-infrastructure-australia-20180523, 23 May 2018