Tax office hires infosec chief

The Australian Taxation Office has hired Steven McCauley as its new assistant commissioner in charge of securing the agencies vast and highly sensitive data stores.

The ATO began the search for a new infosec head back in September, offering a projected salary of up to $251,000 in an appeal to highly qualified candidates.

The agency, which maintains dynamic financial records on all Australian taxpayers and corporations, has one of the most expansive IT environments in the Australian Public Service.

McAuley joins the ATO from the significantly smaller Department of Parliamentary Services.

He most recently served as acting CIO while Eija Seittenranta temporarily covered a vacancy at the top of the department’s corporate division.

McAuley previously managed the DPS’ IT infrastructure needs as Seittenranta’s deputy. He also has experience in the Department of Human Service’s giant IT shop, a proving ground for many of Canberra’s IT chiefs.

He answers to CTO Todd Heather, and is in charge of leading the “development, design and implementation” of the ATO's enterprise-wide IT security mechanisms.