Donald Trump's strategy on tariffs is inspired by the 'Gilded Age' of US history, when the federal government drew most of its income from taxes on foreign imports. 

Now some of America's closest allies have been slapped with tariffs and there are growing risks of a trade war.

Guest: Justin Wolfers, professor of public policy and economics at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan

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The Irish rockstar is fired up as he claims his life's work is being ripped apart by the new US administration. 

In this passionate and surprising conversation Sir Bob discusses cuts to aid budgets in the US and UK, what Australia should be doing to stand up to Donald Trump and why he no longer listens to music.  

Guest: Bob Geldof, musician and co-founder of the Band Aid Charitable Trust

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Former Prime Minister Paul Keating has said of AUKUS that "we don't need to be a pair of shoes hanging out of America's backside". Is that a fair characterisation of Australia's position vis a vis AUKUS? Are we getting the short end of the stick with this deal, and sacrificing our sovereignty to boot? 

NOTE: This podcast was first released on 20 December 2024.

GUESTS:

Sam Roggeveen - Director of the Lowy Institute’s International Security Program. He is the author of The Echidna Strategy: Australia’s Search for Power and Peace

Malcolm Turnbull - 29th Prime Minister of Australia 2015-2018.

Richard Marles - the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, Minister for Defence and the Federal Member for Corio.

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There was jubilation in Syria last year when Bashar Al-Assad fled the country after 14 years of civil war.

But peace won't come easy and the country's new rulers face a host of hurdles as they try to bring order to a country riven by years of conflict.

GUEST: Heidi Pett - Freelance producer, journalist and videographer.

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The United States is tearing down the foundations that have underpinned the west since the end of the second world war.

Traditional alliances have been turned on their head, and Australia is not immune.

Should we go it alone without our biggest ally, and are Australia's future leaders ready for the job ahead?

Guests: Latika Bourke - Writer at Large, The Nightly and an Expert Associate at the ANU’s National Security College. 

Sam Roggeveen - Director of the Lowy Institute's International Security Program 

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In this episode Hamish and Geraldine examine the strategic thinking behind AUKUS. If China has undertaken the most rapid military expansion of any country since WWII, how does the AUKUS pact factor into Beijing's thinking? And does a plan that ties us more closely to the United States make us more or less safe?

NOTE: This podcast was first released on 20 December 2024.

GUESTS:

Zhou Bo – Senior Colonel (Ret.) of China's People's Liberation Army, is Senior Fellow at the Center for International Security and Strategy, Tsinghua University. 

Vice Admiral Mark Hammond - Chief of the Royal Australian Navy.

Hugh Jeffrey - Deputy Secretary Strategy, Policy, and Industry, Department of Defence

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As talk of American isolationism under Donald Trump grows louder, big questions are being asked about the future of the US-Australia alliance.

How should Australia see its place in the Indo-Pacific if China ultimately takes control of east Asia?

Guest: Hugh White - Emeritus Professor of Strategic Studies at the Australian National University.

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Hamish and Geraldine react to the showdown in Washington DC as Donald Trump seemingly all but abandons support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. 

Guest: Nick Bryant - Host of Saturday Extra and former Washington correspondent for the BBC.

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Australia's top spy sits down for a candid conversation with Hamish and Geraldine about the modern art of spycraft and the current threats - foreign and domestic - facing Australia.

Guest: Mike Burgess - Director-General of Security in charge of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.

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The plan for us to acquire nuclear submarines has been dubbed the 'Optimal Pathway', but achieving it will be no mean feat. In this episode we explore what the scheme involves, what the key challenges are to making it work, and we get some cold hard facts about what it is really going to cost us. 

NOTE: This podcast was first released on 20 December 2024.

GUESTS:

Jennifer Parker - expert associate at the national security college ANU, an adjunct fellow at UNSW, and associate fellow at the Council on Geostrategy.

Vice Admiral Peter Jones - a retired senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), who served as the Chief Capability Development Group (CCDG) from 2011 until his retirement in October 2014.

Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead - the inaugural Director-General of the Australian Submarine Agency.

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We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]