Australia joins the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence

Today I opened Australia's first pop-up embassy in Tallinn, Estonia. I joined the launch via live video streaming, in recognition of Estonia's most successful start-up, Skype.

The Embassy will be a temporary presence for 12 months.

The Embassy will support Australia becoming a participating member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE), based in Tallinn.

The NATO CCDCOE is a multinational and interdisciplinary hub of cyber defence expertise. An Australian Defence Force member will be seconded to the Centre for a three-month period each year. This year Australia will observe Locked Shields, the world's largest cyber defence exercise.

Australia welcomes the opportunity to deepen engagement with the world-leading cyber defence experts at the NATO CCDCOE. Now, more than ever, we must engage with the international community to set clear expectations for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace. The international rules based order applies online, just as it does offline.

While we must be vigilant to risk, we should not lose sight of the fact that digital technologies are also profound enablers of sustainable development and inclusive economic growth. I launched a project, funded by Australia's Cyber Cooperation Program, to increase digital service delivery among governments in the Indo-Pacific region. The Estonia E-Governance Academy and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute will jointly deliver the project.

These initiatives are practical fulfilment of the commitment in Australia's International Cyber Engagement Strategy to promote an open, free and secure Internet which drives economic growth, enhances our national security and fosters international stability.