ANZ hackathon in Brisbane tackles cybercrime skills

ANZ has launched its second Cybercrime Hackathon in Brisbane with Griffith University, Google Cloud and Queensland Police, bringing together more than 100 students, academics and industry specialists.

Participants are working in a simulated financial crime taskforce modelled on the cyber and fraud threats affecting Australians. The exercise involves investigating suspicious financial and digital activity, analysing cyber and fraud intelligence, and developing responses with support from mentors in banking, technology, higher education and law enforcement.

The programme is designed to give students direct exposure to cybercrime work while connecting the event to internships and jobs in the sector. Winners are eligible for internship opportunities with ANZ, and one previous participant, Griffith University student Radhika Agarwal, later secured an internship after taking part in last year's event.

The event comes as Queensland accounts for a large share of Australia's cybercrime reports. Figures from the Australian Signals Directorate's Annual Cyber Threat Report 2024-25 show more than 84,700 cybercrime reports were submitted nationally, with a new report lodged every six minutes.

Queensland accounted for 28 per cent of all cybercrime reports, the highest share of any state or territory. That has pushed cyber security, scam prevention and financial crime skills higher up the agenda for banks, universities and technology groups seeking to expand the pipeline of trained workers.

Workforce focus

The hackathon forms part of ANZ's broader partnerships with Queensland universities in research, training and workforce development. The bank is using those links to connect students with industry mentors and practical work tied to fraud prevention and cyber security.

Bruce Rush, Managing Director, Queensland at ANZ, said the event is intended to help build local skills as demand for cyber expertise rises.

"Queensland is home to world-class universities and a growing technology sector. By bringing together students, academics and industry experts, we're helping create pathways into the workforce while showcasing the incredible talent and innovation emerging across the sunshine state.

"Following the success of last year's inaugural ANZ Hackathon, we're proud to once again bring this event to Queensland. By partnering with Griffith University and Google Cloud, we're investing in local talent, strengthening cyber capability and helping unlock the state's potential as a centre for innovation and future workforce development," Rush said.

Griffith University is contributing academic support through its work in digital innovation, fraud prevention and cyber security. It said exercises that place students in realistic investigative settings can help bridge the gap between classroom learning and commercial or public sector work.

Professor Bronwyn Harch, Vice President - Industry and External Engagement at Griffith University, said: "Experiences like this build confidence, strengthen employability and help prepare graduates to make an immediate contribution to Queensland's skilled workforce."

Student pathway

Agarwal's experience has been highlighted as an example of how the programme can lead to industry roles. She took part in the previous hackathon as a first-year student and later completed an internship at ANZ.

"I signed up for the ANZ Hackathon as a first-year university student looking to challenge myself, gain hands-on experience and learn something new. Working alongside industry experts on a realistic cybercrime investigation gave me a completely new perspective on cyber security and showed me how the skills we learn at university are applied to solving complex problems affecting millions of people around the world.

"Winning the Hackathon and completing an internship at ANZ gave me the opportunity to build real-world experience, learn from experienced professionals, develop confidence in my skills and better understand the wide range of career opportunities available in cyber security.

"My biggest piece of advice for students considering the Hackathon is not to be intimidated if you're still learning. You don't need to have all the answers before putting yourself forward for opportunities like this - some of the most valuable learning comes from simply participating," Agarwal said.

The event reflects a wider shift in cyber security recruitment, with employers placing more weight on practical problem-solving and cross-disciplinary work. Simulated investigations, fraud analysis, and collaboration with police and industry mentors are increasingly being used to expose students to the pace and complexity of incidents involving both digital systems and financial transactions.

In Queensland, the concentration of cybercrime reports has added urgency to efforts to deepen the local talent pool. The latest hackathon brings together banking, academia, technology and policing in a single exercise built around current scam and cybercrime patterns, with internship opportunities providing a direct route into the workforce.