Banning DeepSeek (11 Feb 2025)

Dear colleagues

You may be aware of recent developments regarding the use of DeepSeek products on government devices. The Australian Government moved to ban the use of the suite of DeepSeek products on 4 February 2025, under the Australian Government’s Protective Security Policy Framework.

Today the Premier has issued a Direction under the Tasmanian Government’s Protective Security Policy Framework (TAS-PSPF).

Effective immediately, this Direction requires Accountable Authorities (Heads of Agency) to:

• prevent access, use or installation of DeepSeek products, applications and web services on Tasmanian Government systems and devices; and
• remove all existing DeepSeek products on Tasmanian Government systems and devices.

This decision was informed by advice from intelligence and security agencies.

For more information about this Direction, contact your agency’s Chief Information Officer in the first instance, or Digital Strategy and Services via cybersecurity@dpac.tas.gov.au.

For more information about the TAS-PSPF, go to security.tas.gov.au.

I want to reassure people this is no cause for concern, these Directions are made with you in mind to ensure we keep our people, information and systems secure in the fast-paced security landscape we operate in.

Kathrine Morgan-Wicks
Head of the State Service
Secretary, Department of Premier and Cabinet
11 Feb 2025