Australia’s peak technology industry body has called for the creation of a new council of technology regulators to co-ordinate the imposition of new regulation on businesses and providers, saying “knee-jerk” policy announcements – particularly in the cyber security realm – were tying companies in knots and putting directors under unfair risk of prosecution.

Ahead of an election campaign where many in the industry are looking to Canberra to offer up policy solutions for a tech skills shortage and tax reform, general manager of policy and advocacy at the Australian Information Industry Association, Simon Bush, said the government must stop announcing new rules to fill the news agenda and properly consult affected business.