Introduction
After a three-decade long public service career, the Department of Health and Aged Care’s chief information security officer (CISO) David Lang has retired. Meanwhile, the government agency has begun a recruitment process to fill the CISO role on a permanent basis.
Career Overview
Lang moved to Health in September 2024 after a stint at Services Australia, where he was the national manager for cyber governance, policy and engagement. Additionally, part of Lang’s remit at the time was to continue rolling out a cyber security uplift program. However, last year, Health also started preparations to consolidate its end-to-end cyber security operations into a single provider as part of that uplift program.
Transition and Recruitment
A Department of Health spokesperson confirmed Lang’s departure, saying the government agency has begun a recruitment process to fill the CISO role on a permanent basis. For example, Health’s deputy CISO Matt Newman has stepped into the full role in an acting capacity while the recruitment process is ongoing.
Conclusion and Future
Finally, Lang wrote, announcing his retirement on LinkedIn, "I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work across service delivery, law enforcement, election delivery and cyber security — a career that’s been interesting, challenging, varied, and a real privilege." Therefore, the future of the Department of Health and Aged Care’s cyber security is uncertain, but one thing is clear: the need for a skilled and experienced CISO is more important than ever.
