ASD does not support the use of quantum key distribution for secure communications. For a company built on that technology, that one sentence in ASD’s guidance shapes every government conversation it will have.
Who buys and backs quantum technology in Australian government?
In Australia, government is both the largest backer of quantum technology and one of its most important buyers. The federal government released its National Quantum Strategy on 3 May 2023. The federal and Queensland governments each put $470 million into PsiQuantum in 2024, in equity, grants and loans. The federal government also awarded $18.4 million to the University of Sydney to run Quantum Australia, a national centre for growing the industry.
Defence is the clearest early buyer. CSIRO lists precise positioning and navigation in difficult environments among the uses for quantum sensing and timing.
What does ASD’s position mean for quantum communications vendors?
ASD’s position means a quantum key distribution vendor has to answer the regulator’s objections directly before an agency will take the pitch seriously. ASD cites practical limitations: QKD needs specialised hardware, and ASD has concerns about its availability and native authentication. It recommends post-quantum cryptographic algorithms instead.
A vendor can’t hope the buyer hasn’t read that. The credible move is to address each named limitation with evidence, in writing, before the first meeting. A security adviser inside an agency will check your claims against ASD’s guidance, so your content should do that checking for them.
How do you get in front of government and defence buyers?
You get in front of government and defence buyers through relationships built well before a tender, not through the tender itself. By the time a request for tender is published, the buyer usually knows who they expect to hear from.
That means rooms, coverage and a clear voice: roundtables with the right officials and advisers, speaking slots planned months ahead, and media coverage in the outlets those officials read. Technology budgets are set before the new financial year starts on 1 July, so the conversations that shape them happen earlier in the year.
Our who we serve page lists suppliers to government and defence alongside quantum hardware, software and post-quantum security companies. Murfin co-founder Tom Finnigan spent 17 years in the Federal Press Gallery and led PR for Stone & Chalk and AustCyber. Co-founder Jason Murrell has chaired the Australian Cyber Network and is CEO of SuppliAssure.
To start with one piece of work, such as a filmed interview or an opinion piece placed where government readers will see it, see the options or book a 30-minute meeting.
