Australia’s cybersecurity regulations are shifting fast, and 2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal year. From Privacy Act reform to expanding critical infrastructure obligations and stricter governance expectations for boards, there’s a lot to keep up with.
In our latest episode of the CheckITOut podcast, David Bingham, Security Sales Manager at The Missing Link, talks about what’s changing, who it impacts, and what organisations should be doing now to prepare.
This blog recaps the key points from the conversation, covering everything from reporting obligations to common compliance gaps and practical steps for staying ahead. For the full conversation, be sure to check out the episode below.
What’s changing in 2025? Key updates to watch
The cyber regulatory landscape in Australia is changing rapidly and 2025 will mark a significant turning point for many organisations. There are three major developments businesses need to be aware of: reforms to the Privacy Act, expansion of the Critical Infrastructure framework, and new classifications for Systemically Important Entities (SIEs).
1. Privacy Act Reform
After years of review, the Privacy Act is being strengthened with tougher expectations around data protection, breach reporting, and user rights.
Key changes include:
- Stricter obligations for how organisations collect, store, and handle personal information
- Stronger penalties for non-compliance, especially when organisations fail to act promptly
- Broader breach reporting requirements, including faster notification timelines to both the OAIC and affected individuals
- Introduction of new individual rights, including the right to erasure, which will require businesses to delete personal data upon request and provide evidence of doing so
While these changes haven’t yet been enforced, organisations should start preparing now. Because once they are, the grace periods will be short and penalties significant.
2. Expansion of Critical Infrastructure Regulations
The scope of what qualifies as critical infrastructure is broadening. Sectors like logistics, transport, and healthcare are now being pulled into regulatory focus- well beyond traditional sectors like energy and financial services.
New obligations include:
- Reclassification of more industries as critical infrastructure
- Higher baseline security requirements, including risk assessments and reporting protocols
- Mandatory annual reviews of cyber risk and the ability to demonstrate governance over critical systems
Even organisations that haven’t historically fallen under these regulations may now be in scope and should confirm whether they fall under the updated definitions.
3. Systemically Important Entities (SIEs)
Some businesses will be newly classified as Systemically Important Entities (SIEs), not because they’re in critical sectors, but because of their national economic or operational importance.
This classification brings:
- Elevated governance expectations, including deeper involvement from executive leadership and the board
- New obligations for cyber oversight, incident response readiness, and board-level reporting on risk metrics
- A need for ongoing investment in security controls and risk mitigation, even for businesses not traditionally seen as “critical”
As noted in the podcast, boards and directors may also face personal liability if adequate cyber oversight isn’t demonstrated, further raising the stakes for governance teams.
Common misconceptions about the new regulations
With so much change on the horizon, it’s no surprise that many organisations are still unclear about whether the new rules apply to them, or when they need to act. But as David points out, complacency is a risk in itself.
Many assume only large or critical infrastructure organisations are impacted, but the scope is expanding. Any business with an annual turnover over $3 million will be affected by Privacy Act changes.
Waiting until regulations are enforced is risky. Compliance takes time, and once the grace periods expire, penalties will be swift and significant.
Cyber compliance is no longer just a technical task. Regulators expect cross-functional accountability from legal, risk, and executive leadership.
Ignoring these changes could leave your organisation exposed not just to regulatory action, but to reputational and financial risk as well.
What you should do now to prepare
With regulatory change accelerating, preparation is essential. Here are four practical steps organisations should take now to get ahead of Australia’s evolving cyber compliance landscape.
Step 1: Run a privacy and security gap assessment
Start by understanding your current position.
Map your organisation’s policies, practices, and controls against the upcoming Privacy Act reforms and relevant security frameworks such as ISO 27001 and the ASD Essential Eight.
Identify where your existing approach falls short, whether in breach notification readiness, data governance, or access control.
Step 2: Build a compliance roadmap
Use the insights from your gap assessment to create a staged, actionable plan.
This roadmap should outline key milestones, assign accountability across legal, risk, IT, and executive teams, and include timelines to ensure readiness before enforcement begins.
Step 3: Use recognised frameworks
Don't reinvent the wheel.
Leverage proven frameworks to guide your approach:
- ISO 27001: Offers a structured approach with certification pathways
- ASD Essential Eight: A practical, government-recommended baseline for Australian businesses
- NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF): Widely used for broader, international alignment
These frameworks not only guide security uplift but also help demonstrate compliance to regulators and auditors.
Step 4: Prioritise reporting and governance
Ensure cyber risk is regularly reviewed and clearly communicated at the leadership level.
Establish governance processes that define how cyber risk is reported, who is accountable, and what success looks like.
Set clear KPIs for:
- Risk reduction
- Incident readiness
- Compliance progress
Cross-Functional Collaboration Is Key
One of the strongest themes from the podcast was that compliance is not just an IT or legal issue, it’s a shared responsibility.
Meeting Australia’s new cybersecurity requirements requires collaboration across legal, risk, IT, and executive teams. When responsibilities are siloed, gaps form. When teams align on shared goals, ownership becomes clearer and compliance efforts are far more effective.
Creating a unified approach to governance, policy development, breach response, and ongoing reporting ensures your organisation is not only compliant, but also more resilient.
Looking ahead: What comes next?
Regulatory change is only accelerating, and the organisations that treat compliance as a strategic priority will be the ones best positioned to adapt.
🎧 Stay tuned for our next podcast and blog where we’ll dive into how to build a future-proof cyber compliance strategy.
Ready to take the next step?
At The Missing Link, we help organisations navigate regulatory change with confidence. From privacy gap assessments and cybersecurity audits to framework alignment and compliance roadmaps, our team works across IT, risk, legal, and executive stakeholders to ensure you're prepared, not just for what’s coming in 2025, but for the long haul.
If you're unsure how the new laws impact your business or where to start, we’re here to help.
Speak to our team about running a readiness assessment, reviewing your compliance posture, or building a tailored strategy for what's next.
