Ep 2: Patrick Walsh on the Christchurch tragedy, what did we know and not know?

“The media portrays it in a binary way...that we knew so much about jihadist terrorism and that policing and intelligence communities didn’t have any knowledge of white supremacists and ultra-nationalists. The answer is, these kinds of threats were also on the radar. But it’s true to say that we collectively don’t know as much as perhaps we should on these individuals and these groups.”

Patrick spoke with host Wes Ward a month after the tragic 2019 Christchurch shooting and they discuss the immediate aftermath of the event for intelligence agencies. How much did intelligence communities know about right-wing terrorism and what is can be done about it?

Patrick is an Associate Professor in the Australian Graduate School of Policing and Security. He is a former intelligence analyst with experience working in national security and law enforcement agencies in Australia.

Prof Walsh is currently a senior researcher at the Australian Graduate School of Policing and Security (AGSPS). He is co-theme leader (emerging threats) for the $140 million government and private sector funded Cooperative Research Centre Cyber Security. He is also Chief Investigator on an ARC Discovery grant ($277, 551) Intelligence and National Security Ethics, Efficacy and Accountability with Professor Seamus Miller (CSU) and ANU.

Prof Walsh has 30 books, book chapters and peer-reviewed articles on intelligence reform/capability, leadership, bio-terrorism, strategic intelligence and intelligence education issues. He has been widely consulted on intelligence capability and training matters in the corrections, policing and national security sectors in Australia and internationally.

Episode recorded: 26 April 2019

Host: Wes Ward, Charles Sturt Media

Production: Adam Thompson, 2MCE

Due to our many regional locations, Charles Sturt’s podcast recordings range from phone, to studio, to in-person recordings, leading to some natural variance in recording sound.

CONTENT WARNING: Discussion of terrorism and extremist ideology and events.