The National Security Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Can differing global approaches to AI regulation and investment work together, or are we headed toward fragmented, siloed systems?

How can AI governance in developing nations be supported as part of regional aid and security agendas?

What challenges does Australia face in regulating AI without a national bill of rights or federal human rights charter?

Should governments mandate the inclusion of human oversight in all AI-powered decisions?

In this episode, Sarah Vallee and Maria O’Sullivan join David Andrews to talk about how AI is impacting national security, with a focus on AI governance models and mass-surveillance.

Maria O’Sullivan is an Associate Professor at Deakin Law School. She's a member of the Deakin Cyber Research and Innovation Centre.

Sarah Vallee is a specialist in AI Policy and Governance. She's a Fellow at the UTS Human Technology Institute, sponsored by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

David Andrews is Senior Manager, Policy & Engagement at the ANU National Security College. 

TRANSCRIPT  

Show notes  

• NSC academic programs – find out more  
• Article 8: respect for your private and family life

We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes.  

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How is the re-elected Labor Government expected to approach national security and foreign policy in its new term of office? 

Can Australia strike a sustainable balance between its alliance with the United States and its complex relationship with China? Is the future of the AUKUS agreement secure? 

What more can the government do to strengthen Australia’s national security through improved preparedness and resilience? 

In this episode, David Andrews, Will Leben and Bec Strating join Sally Bulkeley to discuss the outcomes of the 2025 Australian Federal Election, what’s in store of the re-elected Albanese Government and the implications for our national security agenda. 

William Leben is Senior Analyst at The Development Lab and an Expert Associate at the ANU National Security College (NSC). 

Professor Bec Strating is the Director of La Trobe Asia and a Professor of International Relations at La Trobe University. She is also an Expert Associate at NSC. 

David Andrews is Senior Manager, Policy & Engagement at NSC. 

Sally Bulkeley is Deputy Head of College at NSC, on secondment from the Department of Defence. 

TRANSCRIPT

Show notes

• NSC academic programs – find out more 
• Pulse Check x Australia's Agenda 
• Restoring America’s maritime dominance 
• Asia Rising podcast 

We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au.You can contact us on X (formerly Twitter) @NSC_ANU and Bluesky @nscanu.bsky.social, and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes.

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What parallels can be drawn between Russia’s democratic decline and challenges facing the US and other Western democracies? 

What are the prospects for genuine peace after Putin's invasion of Ukraine? 

With the US’ shifting priorities, how does Europe’s response to Russian aggression inform Australia’s own security outlook?  

In this episode, Peter Tesch and Mikhail Zygar join Rory Medcalf for a discussion on the evolving role and influence of Russia in the global order, the impending challenges of the war in Ukraine, and the role that the US and Europe will play in this equation. 

Mikhail Zygar is a leading journalist, writer, commentator, filmmaker and expert on Russian affairs. He was also the founding editor-in-chief of Russian news channel TV Rain. 

Peter Tesch is a Distinguished Advisor with the ANU National Security College (NSC) and a leading Australian diplomat and policy official.  

Professor Rory Medcalf AM is Head of NSC. His professional experience spans more than three decades across diplomacy, intelligence analysis, think tanks, journalism and academia. 

TRANSCRIPT 

Show notes 

• NSC academic programs – find out more 
• Beth Sanner podcast: Security in transition: Trump’s America, alliances, and global stability 
• North star: why Australia should look to Finland on resilience and preparedness 
• War and Punishment: Putin, Zelensky, and the Path to Russia's Invasion of Ukraine 

We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes. 

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What can we learn from First Nations Australians about our obligation to country? And is enough being done to protect native title owners from foreign interference?

In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Lieutenant Colonel Eileen Hall and Dr Danielle Ireland-Piper discuss what security means from an Indigenous Australian perspective, and how cultural knowledge and cultural safety can directly impact domestic and regional security.

Lieutenant Colonel Eileen Hall is the Australian Army's first Command Cultural Advisor to the Regional Force Surveillance Group.

Dr Danielle Ireland-Piper is an Associate Professor and Academic Convenor at the ANU National Security College.

Show notes:

• National Intelligence Community and National Security College Scholarship for Women: find out more
• Astronomy, Sky Country, Karlie Noon, Krystal De Napoli, Margo Neale, April 2022
• The Uluru Statement from the Heart

We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What are Australia’s strategic interests in Antarctica? What role does the continent play in climate science? And what does Australia stand to gain from investment in the region?

In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Dr James Mortensen and Isabelle Bond, authors of recent NSC Policy Options Paper Cold logic: getting intelligent about Antarctica, join William Leben to discuss the geopolitics of Antarctica.  

James Mortensen is a Lecturer at the ANU National Security College. 

Isabelle Bond is a Research Assistant at the ANU National Security College. 

William Leben is a Senior Research Officer at the ANU National Security College. 

Show notes: 

• ANU National Security College academic programs: find out more 
• ANU National Security College, Policy Options Paper: Cold logic: getting intelligent about Antarctica 
• Australian Antarctic Strategy & 20 Year Action Plan 
• Antarctic Treaty System 
• News article based on study published in Nature: Antarctic ice melt could disrupt the world’s oceans: study 
• Center for Strategic & International Studies reporting: Frozen Frontiers: China’s Great Power Ambitions in the Polar Regions 
• March 2022 ice shelves collapse 
• UN report: no credible pathway to limit warming to 1.5 °C 

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While social media has many benefits, there are a growing number of users – both human and machine – spreading harmful disinformation and misinformation on these networks. 

What is the difference between disinformation and misinformation? How do different actors – both state and non-state – affect society and geopolitics using social media? And what steps can be taken to overcome these challenges?

In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Associate Professor Darren Linvill from Clemson University and Associate Professor Will Grant from ANU, join David Andrews in conversation to discuss the state of disinformation and misinformation on social media.

Darren Linvill is an Associate Professor and Co-director of the Clemson University Media Forensics Hub. He studies state-affiliated social media information operations.

Will J Grant is Associate Professor at The Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science at ANU, where he researches the interaction of science and politics. He podcasts on science at The Wholesome Show.

David Andrews is the acting Policy Manager at the ANU National Security College.

Show notes: 

• ANU National Security College academic programs: find out more 
• Darren Linvill’s recent article for Irregular Warfare Initiative covers some of the themes discussed in today’s episode: Custer’s last tweet: avoiding a digital little bighorn in the fight for hearts and minds. 

We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is the Women, Peace and Security framework and how did it come about? What was this agenda designed to do, and has it achieved the original ambition?

In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Professor Jacqui True from Monash University, and Lisa Sharland from the Stimson Centre, join Gai Brodtmann in conversation to unpack the Women Peace and Security agenda 23 years on from its creation.

Jacqui True is a Professor of international relations and Director of the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for The Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Lisa Sharland is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Protecting Civilians & Human Security Program at the Stimson Centre in Washington DC.

Gai Brodtmann is a Distinguished Advisor to the ANU National Security College, having previously served as a diplomat, defence consultant, Member of Parliament, Shadow Assistant Minister for Cyber Security and Defence and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence.

Show notes: 

• National Intelligence Community and National Security College Scholarship for Women: find out more 
• The Australian WPS Coalition: The Women, Peace and Security Agenda 

We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How will Canada engage with partners in the Indo-Pacific? What does its new Indo-Pacific Strategy outline for the years ahead? And how does this document shed light on the nation’s strategic outlook?

In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Jonathan Berkshire Miller and Paul Chamberlain join David Andrews in conversation to examine Canada’s recent Indo-Pacific Strategy, its interests in the region and what it aims to achieve.

Jonathan Berkshire Miller is Senior Fellow and Director of the Foreign Affairs, National Security and Defence Program at the Ottawa-based Macdonald Laurier Institute. He also holds concurrent roles as Senior Fellow at the Tokyo-based Japan Institute of International Affairs, and the Asian Forum Japan.

Paul Chamberlain is a PhD candidate at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at The Australian National University. His research is on the role of navies in statecraft in the Indo-Pacific. 

David Andrews is the acting Policy Manager at the ANU National Security College.   

Show notes: 

• Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy 
• ANU National Security College academic programs: find out more 

We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Technological innovation is now one of the most consequential realms of geopolitical contestation. And in the era of big tech, the private sector has assumed power that once resided with governments. In response, we’ve seen a reassertion of industry policy, with governments trying to re-establish control.

What happens to Australia’s national security when private companies, such as TikTok, are in the geopolitical driver’s seat? And how can policymakers keep up with this ever-changing industry?

In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Bec Shrimpton from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, joins Katherine Mansted in conversation to explore the rapidly changing landscape of big tech.

Bec Shrimpton is a Director at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, responsible for convening The Sydney Dialogue. 

Katherine Mansted is a Senior Fellow at the ANU National Security College, and the Director of Cyber Intelligence and Public Policy at CyberCX. 

Show notes: 

• National Intelligence Community and National Security College Scholarship for Women: find out more 

We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. 

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Australia’s culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) population is under-represented in the national security community.  

In the latest National Security Podcast mini-series, Olivia Shen and Meg Tapia explore this gap — its causes, effects and potential solutions — and analyse the role of CALD in promoting strategic advantage.

Coinciding with Harmony Week, in the first episode of the mini-series, Carl Chang from the Office of National Intelligence joins Olivia and Meg. They unpack what CALD is and its value in a security context, sharing stories of how they each ended up in the national security community.

Carl Chang is co-leader of the Mission Management Division at the Office of National Intelligence (ONI) and is ONI's Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Champion.

Olivia Shen is a Director in the Executive and Professional Development team at the ANU National Security College.

Meg Tapia is Principal Director of Defence and National Security at Accenture Australia.

Show notes: 

• ANU National Security College academic programs: find out more

We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.