The $23.4 million Cyber Wardens program faces an uncertain future, after delivering 34,000 of the 50,000 graduates targeted for its first three years.
Tuesday’s federal budget now stands as a major test for the program, as the government is yet to confirm any further funding past 2026.
Cyber Wardens offers free digital courses training small business founders and employees on how to identify, avoid, and respond to mounting cyber threats.
It teaches digital hygiene basics, like password protection, software updates, and multi-factor authentication, through to more advanced AI safety techniques and incident response plans.
The 2023-2024 federal budget supplied the Council of Small Business Organisations (COSBOA) with grant funding to run the program over three years.
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The small business representative organisation tapped consultancy 89 Degrees East to help deliver the project.
Cyber Wardens aimed to create 50,000 graduates over that three-year period, with a stretch goal of “up to 60,000” Australians educated on the costly hacks and digital scams targeting small businesses.
Slow start for graduate numbers
But its early graduation rate was lower than expected.
In October last year, Innovation Aus reported Cyber Wardens had delivered a quarter of its agreed graduate target, with COSBOA asking Treasury to broaden its remit from small businesses to sole traders and not-for-profits.
Speaking to SmartCompany on Monday, COSBOA chair Matthew Addison said Cyber Wardens has “met or exceeded” most of its grant objectives, with program updates increasing its graduation rate over the past year.
“While graduate milestones took longer than initially anticipated to build momentum in the early stages of the program, refinements to the delivery model, including the onboarding of more than 100 industry, government, corporate and community partners, have significantly accelerated participation and completions over the past 12 months,” he said.
Addison said that with twelve weeks to go on its current funding period, Cyber Wardens counts 34,000 graduates and a broader pipeline of 48,000 enrollees.
Calls for further funding
The organisation has called on the Treasury to continue Cyber Wardens’ funding.
Its pre-budget submission sought “long-term” financial support, saying the program has “successfully bolstered the cyber capabilities of both small business operators and employees”.
COSBOA “continues to engage constructively with government regarding the future of the program,” Addison said Monday, noting its “ongoing role in supporting Australian small businesses to build practical cyber security capability.”
A Treasury spokesperson declined to comment on the contents of Tuesday’s federal budget, which Treasurer Jim Chalmers will deliver at 7.30pm AEST.
But funding to scale Cyber Wardens was issued through a “terminating measure” in the 2023-24 budget, they said.
“Treasury engages regularly with delivery partners and stakeholders as part of routine program management and evaluation,” the spokesperson added.
“We do not disclose the nature of those discussions.”
The Treasury spokesperson said the government has invested more than $80 million in programs supporting small business cyber security and digital capabilities since 2023, pointing to the $18.2 million Small Business Cyber Resilience Service and Digital Solutions program.
SmartCompany contacted 89 Degrees East for comment, which directed enquiries to COSBOA.
