How do we balance effective national security laws with protecting individual rights and democratic freedoms?

Where is the line between legitimate foreign influence and foreign interference?

How well do Australia’s espionage laws protect journalism and political discourse?

How should Australia’s terrorism laws respond to a threat environment increasingly involving children and different forms of violent extremism?

In this episode, Sharryn Parker speaks with Jake Blight – Australia’s Independent National Security Legislation Monitor –about whether Australia’s national security laws are keeping pace with the changing nature of espionage, foreign interference and terrorism.

Jake Blight is Australia’s Independent National Security Legislation Monitor (INSLM).

Sharryn Parker is Senior Policy Advisor at NSC, on secondment from the Department of Defence.

TRANSCRIPT

Show notes:

·      NSC academic programs – find out more

·      Launching the review of the definition of a ‘terrorist act’

·      The monitor's lens: the Secrecy Review and insights from the INSLM

·      Espionage, Foreign Interference and Related Offences Report

·      Issues Paper – Review of the definition of a ‘terrorist act’

We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. 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 do ports sustain Australia’s economy, border security and defence preparedness?

What are the biggest strategic challenges facing Australian ports?

What role do ports play in combating organised crime and protecting Australia’s borders?

What partnership, policy or capability would most improve Australia’s port security now?

In this episode, Sharryn Parker speaks with Mike Gallacher and Mike Outram about the role of ‘ports’ as critical infrastructure and the challenges of protecting Australia’s maritime supply chains.

Michael Gallacher is Chief Executive Officer at Ports Australia.

Michael Outram is the former Australian Border Force Commissioner and Distinguished Advisor at the ANU National Security College (NSC).

Sharryn Parker is a Senior Policy Advisor at NSC, on secondment from the Department of Defence.

TRANSCRIPT

Show notes:

·     NSC academic programs – find out more

·     Beyond the Checkpoint by Mike Outram

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

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Can Australia reframe water as a national security issue, rather than only an environmental or social policy concern?  

Can Australia realistically pursue both AI leadership and sustainable water management? 

What happens when drought, climate change, food insecurity, ageing infrastructure and economic pressure combine?  

Who should be at the table for a national water strategy? 

In this episode, Sharryn Parker speaks with Jason Alexandra and Matthew Coulton about Australia's water future, exploring why water security needs to be understood as a national security issue. 

Dr Jason Alexandra is a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian National University’s (ANU) Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions and the Institute for Water Futures. 

Matthew Coulton is Associate Director at WSP Australia, and previously served as General Manager Water and Agriculture at the Bureau of Meteorology and as a senior adviser to Australian and New South Wales governments on water policy and reform. 

Sharryn Parker is a Senior Policy Advisor at the ANU National Security College (NSC), on secondment from the Department of Defence. 

TRANSCRIPT 

Show notes: 

• NSC academic programs – find out more 
• How much water and power will AI data centres use in Australia? Ironically, we don’t have the data to know by Michael Vardon, ANU 
• Sustainable water services for rural and remote communities by WSP 
• Reforming water policy for a changing Australia by WSP 
• Next Steps on the National Water Agreement by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water 
• Australian Water Association (AWA) Homepage 
• Australian Water Directory by AWA 
• National Water Week  

We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. 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 health connected to national security?

What role should the military play in health security – and where are the limits?

How can Australia improve coordination across agencies before the next crisis arrives?

In this episode, Sharryn Parker speaks with Esperanza Martinez and Nicholas Thomson about why pathogen preparedness, human security and health need to be understood as part of Australia’s broader security picture. 

Dr Nick Thomson is Academic Convenor and Fellow at the Pacific Security College.

Dr Esperanza Martinez is Professor in Practice and Head of Health and Human Security at the Australian National University’s (ANU) College of Health and Medicine.

Sharryn Parker is a Senior Policy Advisor at the ANU National Security College (NSC), on secondment from the Department of Defence.

TRANSCRIPT

Show notes:

• NSC academic programs – find out more
• Turning the tide together by Nick Thomson
• Harnessing synergies at the interface of public health and the security sector by Nick Thomson
• Health and human security: Core to national and global stability by Esperanza Martinez (pg. 94)
• Health in a World of Crises and Impunity by Esperanza Martinez

We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. 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 is the future trajectory for Plan ANZAC?

How does a small nation like New Zealand (NZ) contribute to collective security in the Indo-Pacific?

How does NZ’s strategic identity differ from Australia’s?

What should the future social contract between NZ and its Defence Force look like? What does effective leadership and stewardship look like?

In this episode, Sharryn Parker is joined by Major General Rose King, Chief of the New Zealand Army, to discuss how NZ land forces undertakes its role in regional security and what closer cooperation with Australia looks like in practice.

Major General Rose King is Chief of Army, New Zealand Defence Force.

Sharryn Parker is a Senior Policy Advisor at the ANU National Security College (NSC), on secondment from the Department of Defence.

TRANSCRIPT

Show notes:

·     NSC academic programs – find out more

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

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Does the flare up in recent AUKUS debates represent the perspectives of the broader Australian public?

Does Australia have a credible Plan B if part of AUKUS falters?

Can Australia sustain the political will and strategic patience needed for a multi-decade defence project?

In this episode, Justin Burke speaks with Jennifer Parker and Peter Dean about what the latest developments mean for AUKUS, the US alliance and Australia’s long-term maritime strategy.

Dr Peter Dean is Professor of Strategic Studies at The Australian National University (ANU).

Jennifer Parker is an Expert Associate at the ANU National Security College (NSC) and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Western Australia.

Justin Burke is Senior Policy Advisor at NSC.

TRANSCRIPT

Show notes:

·     NSC academic programs – find out more

·     AUKUS poll, by the Lowy Institute

·     Defence’s Collins Class Submarines Life of Type Extension — Planning and Implementation, by the Australian National Audit Office

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

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Can national security be fully understood through hard power alone?

Is it time for Australia to have a broader national security strategy – one that goes beyond defence and brings in federal, state and community perspectives?

How can women’s experiences be integrated into a more traditional understanding of national security?

In this episode, Sharryn Parker speaks with Professor Valerie Hudson and Dr Elise Stephenson about realism, power and the perspectives often missing from traditional security debates.

Professor Valerie Hudson is Professor and George H.W. Bush Chair in the Department of International Affairs of the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University.

Dr Elise Stephenson is the Deputy Director of the Global Institute for Women's Leadership, Australian National University.

Sharryn Parker is a Senior Policy Advisor at the ANU National Security College (NSC), on secondment from the Department of Defence. 

TRANSCRIPT

Show notes 

·    NSC academic programs – find out more 

·    Whither Women and Peace and Security?

·    Gender and National Security

·    Community Consultations Findings Report

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

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Why is the Strait of Hormuz crisis about more than crude oil, and what does it reveal about Australia’s hidden supply-chain vulnerabilities? 

What should investment in supply chain resilience look like for Australia? 

Does the green transition reduce Australia’s energy security risks, or does it shift our dependence to new materials, technologies and supply chains? 

How can Australia move from a ‘just in time’ to a ‘just in case’ approach to national resilience? 

In this episode, Walter Colnaghi and David Leaney join Sharryn Parker to discuss what the Hormuz crisis means for Australia’s economic security. 

Sharryn Parker is a Senior Policy Advisor at the ANU National Security College (NSC), on secondment from the Department of Defence.    

Walter Colnaghi is a PhD candidate at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations and a Research Assistant at NSC. 

David Leaney is a Lecturer at the ANU College of Business and Economics, and a specialist in international supply chain management. 

TRANSCRIPT 

Show notes  

• NSC academic programs – find out more 
• Beyond the checkpoint: managing Australia’s border as a strategic economic and national security asset 

We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. 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 should government balance national preparedness with cost-of-living pressures? 

Can Australia strengthen fuel security, defence capability and supply chain resilience without undermining productivity and living standards? 

How do economic pressures, housing stress and inequality shape public trust – and what does that mean for national security? 

In this episode, Aruna Sathanapally, Richard Denniss and Michael Stutchbury join Rory Medcalf to examine the intersection of national security, economic pressure and social resilience. 

Dr Richard Denniss is co-Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at The Australia Institute. 

Dr Aruna Sathanapally is CEO at the Grattan Institute. 

Michael Stutchbury is Executive Director at The Centre for Independent Studies. 

Professor Rory Medcalf AM is Head of the ANU National Security College (NSC). His professional experience spans more than three decades across diplomacy, intelligence analysis, think tanks, journalism and academia. 

Note: this episode was recorded at NSC’s Securing our Future: a ready and resilient Australia conference on 24 March 2026. 

TRANSCRIPT 

Show notes:  

• NSC academic programs – find out more 
• Will this budget really make housing fairer for more Australians? It’s a good start, by Dr Aruna Sathanapally and Matthew Bowes 
• Full panel discussion (with Q&A) 

We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. 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 are the real differences between the 2024 and 2026 National Defence Strategy – and why is this an evolution, not a revolution?

How is Australia thinking about national resilience, and what does a ‘whole-of-nation’ approach to security look like in practice?

Are we investing in the right capabilities – and at the right speed – to meet the challenges ahead?

How do global conflicts, from Ukraine to the Middle East, shape Australia’s defence outlook and strategic choices?

In this episode, David Andrews joins Sharryn Parker to unpack Australia’s 2026 National Defence Strategy – what’s changed, what hasn’t, and what it means for national resilience and deterrence.

David Andrews is Senior Policy Advisor at the ANU National Security College (NSC).

Sharryn Parker is Senior Policy Advisor at NSC, on secondment from the Department of Defence.

TRANSCRIPT

Show notes:

·     ANU National Security College academic programs – find out more

·     2026 National Defence Strategy

·     2026 Integrated Investment Program

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

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