November 26 – ASI Solutions, a leading Australian technology provider, has released its new 2025 Growth and resiliency report, revealing that government agencies are prioritising cyber resilience and workforce capability as key drivers of operational stability. Developed in partnership with Tech Research Asia (TRA), the report surveyed over 500 Australian IT and business decision-makers, including 153 from across local, state, and federal levels of government.
The report highlights key trends shaping the public sector technology landscape:
- 74 per cent of agencies report difficulty recruiting IT staff, the highest of any sector
- 85 per cent can tolerate less than 12 hours of restricted access to critical data
- 23 per cent admit recovery from a major incident would take more than 24 hours
- 40 per cent say they are not fully prepared for today’s cyber threat landscape
- 54 per cent expect AI to reshape IT and data strategies within two years.
Nathan Lowe, managing director of ASI Solutions, said, “Public sector leaders face growing pressure to modernise without compromising service continuity. True resilience now depends on people, skills, and systems working together to deliver secure, efficient services that Australians can trust.”
Building resilience under pressure
The research shows that public sector leaders are modernising while protecting critical infrastructure and citizen data. Nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) of government agencies report difficulty recruiting IT staff, by far the highest of any sector, despite rising investment in cybersecurity and AI. The research also highlights a widening gap between expectation and capability. The majority (85 per cent) of agencies can tolerate less than 12 hours of restricted access to critical data, yet almost a quarter admit it would take them more than 24 hours to recover from a major incident.
Nathan Lowe said, “Government leaders are taking a pragmatic approach to transformation, balancing innovation with the responsibility to deliver secure, reliable services. Many are adopting hybrid IT and co-managed service models to strengthen recovery readiness and build long-term capability. We’re working closely with government customers to modernise critical systems, enhance cybersecurity operations, and create more resilient digital environments that enable them to achieve their strategic objectives.”
Cybersecurity and AI take priority
The report shows that cybersecurity remains the top concern across all tiers of government, with phishing, social engineering, and account takeover listed as the most pressing threats. Although half of agencies increased their security budgets in the past year, 40 per cent admit they are still not fully prepared for the current threat landscape.
AI adoption is also accelerating, while governance and readiness lag: more than half of public sector respondents expect AI to reshape their IT and data strategies within two years, yet few have formal frameworks to guide its responsible use. Leaders are also adopting incremental delivery models that let them demonstrate progress faster and adapt to shifting operational priorities, rather than relying on large, multi-year projects. This approach gives agencies more flexibility to manage resources and deliver measurable improvements without disrupting essential services.
Trevor Clarke, chief analyst at Tech Research Asia (part of Omdia), said, “The top threats facing government are increasingly human-centric, phishing, social engineering, and account takeover remain the most common risks, with AI-augmented attacks adding a new layer of complexity. Technology alone can’t solve these challenges. I challenge agencies to invest just as much in culture, training, and incident rehearsal as they do in tools and systems. Building genuine resilience means preparing people as well as platforms to anticipate, respond, and recover when it matters most.”
For more information, and to read the full ASI Solutions Growth and resiliency report, visit https://www.asi.com.au/growth-and-resiliency-2025-report/
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About ASI Solutions
ASI Solutions is a leading provider of technology solutions across Australia and New Zealand. At our core, we are driven by a passion to elevate your experience, through technology. Since 1985, we have been committed to providing exceptional value to help our customers succeed. Our strength goes beyond just delivering a product. We seek to understand your business strategy to deliver end-to-end IT experiences, both today and tomorrow. asi.com.au
