LTGEN McGuiness’s new role will be to protect against and respond to major cyber security threats and incidents facing Australia. Photo: US DIA.
Australian Army officer Lieutenant General Michelle McGuiness has been named as the new National Cyber Security Coordinator.
LTGEN McGuiness replaces Air Marshal Darren Goldie who served in the role for just four months from July 2023 before being recalled to the Air Force.
AIRMSHL Goldie briefly led the government’s response to last year’s hacking of telco giant Optus, which shut down its networks, and of ports operator DP World, which temporarily closed ports around Australia.
LTGEN McGuiness is a 30-year career Army officer who was promoted to the 3-Star rank of Lieutenant General for the Cyber Security Coordinator role. As a 2-Star Major General, she most recently served as Deputy Director, Commonwealth Integration in the United States Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).
“Previously, while serving in the Defence Intelligence Organisation, she led interagency intelligence efforts supporting whole-of-government counter-proliferation initiatives, as well as Australia’s Strategic Health Intelligence capability during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Home Affairs Minister Claire O’Neill said in a statement.
“With the National Office of Cyber Security, the coordinator drives forward the necessary work to ensure Australia is best positioned to respond to the opportunities and challenges of the digital age,” she added.
“The coordinator leads national cyber security policy, the coordination of responses to major cyber incidents, whole of government cyber incident preparedness efforts and strengthening of Commonwealth cyber security capability.”
Ms O’Neill said LTGEN McGuiness’s new role will be to protect against and respond to major cyber security threats and incidents facing Australia.
“With the National Office of Cyber Security, the Coordinator will drive forward the necessary work to ensure Australia is best positioned to respond to the opportunities and challenges of the digital age,” she said.
“This builds on the Government’s delivery of our new Australian Cyber Security Strategy we launched last year.
“I’m looking forward to working with Lieutenant General McGuiness to help keep Australia safe from cyber criminals and help make our country one of the most cyber secure nations in the world by 2030.”
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