Home Affairs' Marc Ablong destined for new national security role

Home Affairs’ deputy secretary for strategic iniatives Marc Ablong is set to shift to a new “national security role”, prompting a reshuffle that also affects the Cyber and Infrastructure Security Centre (CISC).

A recent update to the department’s org chart [pdf] named Hamish Hansford, the inaugural head of the CISC, as acting in Ablong’s current position.

While there is often internal movement in departmental org charts, Ablong was not named in any new position, and iTnews has confirmed that he is currently on leave.

“Mr Ablong will be moving to a new national security role in the near future, with more detailed announcements to be made soon,” a Home Affairs spokesperson told iTnews.

With Hansford moving into Ablong’s former role on an acting basis, the acting leadership of the CISC now falls to Sam Grunhard, who is the existing deputy for the centre.

In addition, Richard Farmer is now acting as the deputy group manager of the CISC.

Ablong regularly appeared at senate estimates for Home Affairs and was a regular commenter on cyber security policy issues, ranging from critical infrastructure security, to government use of Chinese camera technology, to the government's operation of identity-matching services.

Through Hansford, it appears the department will continue to have that cyber security capability at the deputy secretary level.

Prior to leading the CISC, Hansford was the first assistant secretary of the cyber, digital and technology policy division, where he led the delivery and implementation of Australia’s Cyber Security Strategy 2020 and related cybercrime policy development.

The CISC is the central overseer of critical infrastructure security requirements on a range of industry sectors.