Waipā District Council has been recognised for its outstanding cybersecurity efforts,
taking out the ‘Best in Cyber Security’ award at the Association of Local Government
Information Management annual awards last week.
The award is given to the council with the highest compliance score in cyber security
maturity, highlighting the importance of safeguarding sensitive digital information
from unauthorised access, theft, damage, or disruption.
Information Services Manager Richard Henderson said the achievement was a credit
to his team.
“This award celebrates the dedication and teamwork that goes into ensuring our data
and the community's data both remain secure. It’s a direct reflection of the hard work
put in by our staff to keep us ahead of emerging threats.”
The council’s commitment to cybersecurity includes a comprehensive internal
training programme where staff are regularly trained on best practices and security
protocols.
“The regular training ensures the whole organisation is constantly updated on new
cyber threats and the most effective ways to protect sensitive information,”
Henderson said.
“Cyber security is more critical now than ever before. With new threats emerging
constantly, hackers, spammers and cybercriminals find increasingly sophisticated
ways to access sensitive information. It only takes one click on the wrong link for a
breach to occur.”
As cyber threats evolve, Waipā District Council remains dedicated to continuously
improving its cybersecurity practices, ensuring the safety of its digital infrastructure
and the protection of its community’s data.
This year’s recognition follows Waipā’s impressive achievement last year when it
was ranked in the top five of all New Zealand’s district councils.
