Australia's critical international communications infrastructure, carrying 99 percent of its global data, is largely owned by foreign tech giants, leaving the government with "very limited power" to influence its operation or repair. This stark reality comes to light after two subsea cables off the coast of Perth suffered faults over the weekend, prompting urgent calls for investigation into what some see as a profound national security vulnerability.
Subco chief executive Bevan Slattery took to LinkedIn, revealing that two separate cables within the Perth Cable Protection Zone experienced faults "straight after each other and in close proximity to each other." He labeled the development "concerning" and pressed the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for an immediate investigation.
David Brewster, a senior research fellow at the National Security College at the Australian National University, underscored the cables' vital role. He told Nadia Mitsopoulos on 102.5 ABC Perth that Australia relies on 16 such subsea cables. Their disruption or cessation, he warned, would inflict a "massive impact on our country," fundamentally affecting the Australian economy and daily life.
These undersea cables, no wider than a garden hose, rest on the ocean floor. They can be severed accidentally by ship's anchors or, more ominously, cut deliberately. Dr. Brewster noted "numerous incidents in Europe and around Taiwan over the last, say, three or four years" where cables were cut, often by "state actors, Russia and China."
Erosion of National Control
The damaged cables were located within the Perth Cable Protection Zone, an area extending 60 nautical miles off City Beach to a depth of 2,000 metres, encompassing one nautical mile on each side of the cables. Despite this designated zone, Dr. Brewster conceded it is "extremely difficult to stop a determined adversary from cutting the cables." He also highlighted the challenge of preventing cyber attacks on these vital links.
Brewster further revealed that these essential cables are all privately owned, with an increasing number held by US tech companies such as Meta, Google, or Amazon. This foreign ownership, he explained, introduces "other risks." The Australian government, he stated, possesses "very limited power to actually influence what is being done into how these cables are operated or repaired."
Adding to the nation's vulnerability, no single government department or agency is solely responsible for the cables. Instead, multiple departments share jurisdiction over various aspects of the subsea cable sector. This bureaucratic fragmentation leaves private operators unclear about "who takes responsibility within government" when a cable is cut or disrupted.
The Cost of Neglect
Dr. Brewster advocated for laying more cables as the best protection strategy, asserting that Australia "certainly needs a lot more cables than it currently has to mitigate the threat." The current reliance on a limited, foreign-owned network leaves the nation exposed to external control and potential sabotage.
An AFP spokesperson confirmed the agency has received a report of crime concerning the matter. The report is "currently being assessed based on the information provided," with further comment promised at an "appropriate time." Subco's Bevan Slattery was unavailable for an interview.
The incident exposes a critical weakness in Australia's national infrastructure, where the digital lifeline of its people and economy rests in the hands of foreign corporations, with the national government seemingly powerless to assert control or ensure adequate protection.