Insurers will give more than $900,000 this financial year to the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council, as the partners step up their efforts to fight crime.

One new initiative outlined in the council’s 2018-20 strategic plan involves collaborating with IAG’s Technical Research Centre on cyber-security risks and e-theft.

The work with IAG will “make sure we are at the forefront of issues such as electronic hacking and defeating electronic security systems”, council CEO Geoff Hughes told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

Partner insurers have given more than $20 million to the council since its establishment in 1999, matching funds from participating states and territories.

“Over the lifetime of the [scheme], the rate of vehicle theft has been reduced very significantly through programs targeting vehicle vulnerabilities… and policy changes in each state to reduce opportunities for rebirthing and the resale of stolen vehicles and their parts,” an Insurance Council of Australia spokesman told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

Mr Hughes, who took over last month following the retirement of long-serving executive director Ray Carroll, is keen to have Queensland return to the council. The state pulled the plug on funding in 2012, and Victoria nearly followed suit two years go.

“We would love to bring our program and partnerships to Queensland, but we can’t unless the impasse over our funding is resolved,” Mr Hughes said. “The silly thing about that is, for an investment of a little more than $200,000, insurers would match that.”

Mr Hughes says Victoria is “100% behind us” and he sees no change to the funding commitment, which was in doubt two years ago until the Andrews Government changed its mind at the last minute.

“That’s all been resolved,” he said. “We got over that issue.”