Australia has appointed its first dedicated cybersecurity boss to manage the government's response to major data breaches and boost the nation's security capabilities after hack attacks and malevolent activity have shown a spike in cases.
Air Marshal Darren Goldie, a 30-year Air Force veteran, will be the first national cybersecurity coordinator, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced. He will be supported in the newly created role by a national office within the Department of Home Affairs and will start work on 3 July.
"We see this as a vital component of what modern government needs to do to respond to the new and emerging challenges," Albanese said in a statement.
His views were echoed by Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil who said that the appointment of Goldie as head of this agency was an "important part of the jigsaw puzzle" put in place to offset hackers and other malefactors.
Australia has seen a marked rise in cyber crimes since late last year, prompting the government to intervene. Among others, it reformed security rules and set up a dedicated agency to oversee government investment and help coordinate responses to hacker attacks.
In the most recent example, Australian commercial law firm HWL Ebsworth - whose clients include the country's largest banks and some government departments - came under attack from hackers, warning that some of the stolen data may have ended up on the dark web. Major breaches have also been reported by health insurer Medibank Private and telecom company Optus.
Tellingly, IDCare, an Australian government-backed service for victims of identity theft, singled out Australia as the fifth-most targeted country by data thieves in January 2023, being affected far worse than nations with a comparable economy and population.
Who is Darren Goldie?
Air Vice-Marshal Goldie assumed the role of Air Commander Australia, who is responsible for effectively preparing air combat forces, in April 2022.
A native of Gold Coast, Goldie joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1993 and attended the Australian Defense Force Academy. After pilot training, Air Vice-Marshal Goldie flew C-130 E, H and J model Hercules on Operations in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan. He was an A Category Captain with 5,000 flying hours.
In the 2010s, Goldie served as Commanding Officer in No 37 Squadron in Sydney and No 92 Wing in Adelaide. Subsequently he served as aide de camp and staff officer. In 2020-21 he provided strategic foreign policy advice to the government, prime minister and Cabinet.
Goldie is highly decorated and his honors include the Australia Day Medallion, the Conspicuous Service Cross and he is also a Member of the Order of Australia.
He has a Bachelor of Science from ADFA, a Masters of Management from UNSW and a Masters of Strategic Studies, obtained on posting to US Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama in the US.