The Australian eSafety Commissioner has announced a National eSafety Symposium during Pacific Cyber Week and the PNG Digital Transformation Summit hosted in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
The Symposium was announced by Ms Ella Serry, Director, International Engagement at the Office of the eSafety Commissioner, during the Protection of Children in the Digital Age session on 22 July 2026. It will provide a platform to advance discussion on online safety and practical approaches to protecting communities in an increasingly connected region.
The initiative builds on eSafety’s engagement with Pacific partners, including bilateral cooperation, training for frontline workers responding to technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and a regional online safety symposium focused on technology-facilitated gender-based violence and child online protection. The Office of the eSafety Commissioner will engage with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on potential support for Pacific participation.
“As connectivity grows, online safety must be built into digital transformation, including the use of artificial intelligence, from the outset. The Symposium will help strengthen cooperation and ensure Pacific perspectives are central to policy and practical solutions,” said Australia’s Ambassador for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology Ms Jessica Hunter.
The announcement formed part of wider cooperation highlighted in Port Moresby, including Australian support for government-to-government online safety reform, AI implementation toolkits, the proposed Pacific Digital and AI Principles and Papua New Guinea’s Digital Public Infrastructure Centre of Excellence. Australia’s broader support also includes cyber capacity-building, digital inclusion, workforce development and regional cooperation on cybercrime and child protection.
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(Left to right) Minister for ICT Robert Naguri with Australian High Commissioner and Special Envoy for the Pacific Ewen McDonald and Australia’s Ambassador for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology Ms Jessica Hunter at the Digital Transformation Summit 2026.
For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100