Macquarie Government Launches Microsoft Azure Practice for Australian Agencies

Macquarie Government launched a Microsoft Azure practice tailored for Australian state and federal government agencies, marking its first entry of public cloud services into the public sector. The new practice provides Azure-native services, including Microsoft Sentinel and Managed Azure, adapted for security classifications up to the Protected level. A central feature of the offering is Azure Local, which allows for sovereign, isolated AI hosting for sensitive workloads.

The services operate under a co-managed model, enabling agencies to maintain internal oversight while using Macquarie's expertise in cost governance and security. This expansion coincides with a A$25 billion investment in Australian digital infrastructure by Microsoft and a five-year whole-of-government agreement signed by the Digital Transformation Agency.

To lead the initiative, Macquarie Government appointed Dr. Chris Peiris, a former Department of Defence advisor, as its Microsoft Security and Azure Lead. The company is also supporting the growth of AI and GPU loads through the construction of the IC3 Super West datacentre at its Macquarie Park campus in Sydney.