The National Security Podcast

Why should policy practitioners and law makers focus their attention on space? What does space security look like from a gendered perspective? Is commercialisation disrupting the way that space is used for warfare? And why is space diplomacy important for Australia – regionally and internationally? 

In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Dr Cassandra Steer joins Dr Danielle Ireland-Piper to discuss the security dimensions of space and the consequences of it being a dual-use environment.

Dr Cassandra Steer is the Deputy Director – Mission Specialist with the ANU Institute of Space (InSpace). 

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

Show notes: 

• ANU National Security College academic programs: find out more 
• ANU National Security College Policy Options Paper: Australia as a Space Power: Combining Civil, Defence and Diplomatic Efforts 

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. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. 

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Despite what you’d infer from the news articles, nuclear-powered submarines form just one part of the AUKUS Agreement. There is a whole other portion of the pact focused on other technological capabilities.

What is AUKUS pillar two? What kind of projects are underway under the auspices of this pillar? Are current export control regimes of AUKUS nations fit for purpose? And is expanding pillar two to bring in other countries a realistic goal? 

In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Dr Miah Hammond-Errey and Ashley Townshend join David Andrews to discuss pillar two of the AUKUS partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. 

Dr Miah Hammond-Errey is the Director of the Emerging Technology Program at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. 

Ashley Townshend is Senior Fellow for Indo-Pacific Security at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the United States Studies Centre. 

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

Show notes: 

• ANU National Security College academic programs: find out more
• Recent polling by the United States Studies Center: US Midterms 2022: the stakes for Australia and the alliance 

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. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. 

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In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Sweden’s Ambassador to Australia His Excellency Mr Pontus Melander and Latvia’s Ambassador to Australia His Excellency Mr Marģers Krams join Dr Will Stoltz in conversation.

They discuss how their countries approach building national resilience in response to a range of complex conventional and hybrid threats. 

His Excellency Mr Pontus Melander is the Ambassador of Sweden to Australia

His Excellency Mr Marģers Krams is the Ambassador of Latvia to Australia

Dr William A Stoltz is the Policy Director at the ANU National Security College

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 [email protected]. 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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How can fiction influence national security policy and its development? What is the role of fiction in future scenario planning? How does reading fiction assist with developing empathy, and why is this important to the national security community?

In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Danielle Ireland-Piper, Chris Uhlmann and John Birmingham join Dayle Stanley in conversation to discuss the role of fiction in national security and policy making.

Dr Danielle Ireland-Piper is Associate Professor at the ANU National Security College and an Honorary Adjunct Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at Bond University.

Chris Uhlmann is an author and former journalist and broadcaster who was political editor for both the ABC and Nine News.  

John Birmingham is a former Defence researcher turned author and journalist. His work spans across genres including science fiction, alternative history and non-fiction.

Dayle Stanley is the Director of Strategy and Engagement at the Futures Hub at the ANU National Security College. 

Show notes:

• Blog post: Fiction and national security by Dr Danielle Ireland-Piper 
• ANU National Security College 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. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. 

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In the final National Security Podcast episode of the year, some of the team from the ANU National Security College take stock of Australia’s security landscape in 2022. Dayle Stanley, Elise Stephenson, Rory Medcalf and Will Stoltz also discuss what they’ll be keeping an eye on in 2023, and the years to come.

Dayle Stanley is the Director of Strategy & Engagement at the ANU National Security College Futures Hub.

Dr Elise Stephenson is a Fellow at the ANU National Security College and the incoming Deputy Director at the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership.

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

Dr William A Stoltz is the Policy Director at the ANU National Security College.

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. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. 

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Under the AUKUS agreement, Australia will be the first non-nuclear state to acquire nuclear propulsion technology. What impact could this have on the nation’s nuclear security standards? And how could it affect Australia’s standing as a non-proliferation player?

In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Scott Roecker and Jessica Bufford from the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) join Professor Rory Medcalf in conversation.

They discuss global nuclear non-proliferation and arms control efforts, the increasingly challenging strategic environment this work is carried out within, and the current outlook for nuclear disarmament.

Scott Roecker is the Vice President for NTI’s Nuclear Materials Security Program. He previously served as the Director of the Office of Nuclear Material Removal at the National Nuclear Security Administration in the United States. 

Jessica Bufford is a Program Officer for NTI’s Nuclear Material Security team. She previously worked in the Division of Nuclear Security at the International Atomic Energy Agency.

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

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. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. 

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In this episode of the National Security Podcast, the Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP, the United Kingdom's Minister of State for the Indo-Pacific, joins Professor Rory Medcalf in conversation.

How will the United Kingdom’s Integrated Review refresh affect Britain’s Indo-Pacific policy? What does AUKUS mean for the United Kingdom? And what’s the future of Australia-UK cooperation? In this episode of the National Security Podcast, the Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP — who was recently appointed as Britain’s first Minister of State for the Indo-Pacific — joins Professor Rory Medcalf in conversation. They discuss the United Kingdom’s Integrated Review refresh and the country's subsequent tilt towards the Indo-Pacific, AUKUS, and Australia-UK relations.

The Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP is the United Kingdom’s Minister of State for the Indo-Pacific. She has previously served as Secretary of State for International Trade and International Development.

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

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. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.

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In this episode of the National Security Podcast, eminent Russian foreign policy scholar Professor Akihiro Iwashita joins Professor Rory Medcalf in conversation.

How does the history of conflict between Japan and Russia affect relations today? How has the Russian invasion of Ukraine impacted their relationship? And what strategic challenges does the China-Russia relationship present for Japan and the Indo-Pacific? In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Professor Akihiro Iwashita – an expert in Russian foreign policy towards China and Japan – joins Professor Rory Medcalf in conversation. They discuss Japan’s relationship with China and Russia and broader strategic challenges in the Indo-Pacific.

Akihiro Iwashita is a Professor at the Slavic-Eurasian Research Center at Hokkaido University.

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

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. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.

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In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Professor the Hon Gareth Evans, former Australian Foreign Minister and former Chancellor of The Australian National University, joins Professor Rory Medcalf to discuss repositioning Australia in a new geopolitical environment.

In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Professor the Hon Gareth Evans – a longstanding and influential voice in Australian foreign and public policy – joins Professor Rory Medcalf in conversation. They discuss navigating the Australia-China and Australia-US relationships in an era of strategic competition, strengthening relations with Australia’s Indo-Pacific neighbours, the country’s credibility as a good international citizen, and the importance of diplomacy.

The Hon Gareth Evans AC KC FASSA FAIIA is a Distinguished Honorary Professor at The Australian National University (ANU), where he was Chancellor from 2010–19. He was a Cabinet Minister in the Hawke and Keating Labor Governments from 1983–96, in the posts of Attorney General, Minister for Resources and Energy, Minister for Transport and Communications and – from 1988–96 – Foreign Minister.

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

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. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.

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In this episode of the National Security Podcast, we bring you the final instalment of the Women in National Security mini-series, produced in collaboration with Accenture.

To celebrate the final episode of the Women in National Security mini-series, the ANU National Security College hosted a networking event and live podcast recording with more than 250 women at the National Gallery of Australia. Our hosts Gai Brodtmann, National Security College Futures Council member, and Meg Tapia, Principal Director for Defence and National Security at Accenture, were joined by Deputy Director-General at the Office of National Intelligence Nina Davidson, Deputy-Director General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service Catherine Burn, and Head of the Australian Cyber Security Centre Abigail Bradshaw. The panel answer audience questions, addressing issues of gender equality, leadership, and authenticity. Drawing on live opinion polling results at the event, Gai and Meg discuss personal heroes and the use of gender targets, among other topics.

Nina Davidson is Deputy Director-General Intelligence at the Office of National Intelligence (ONI).

Catherine Burn was appointed as the Australian Secret Intelligence Service's Deputy-Director General Capability & Corporate Management in April 2018.

Abigail Bradshaw CSC is the Head of the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) and Deputy Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD).

Gai Brodtmann is a member of the ANU National Security College's Futures Council 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.

Meg Tapia has 16 years of experience in national security and foreign policy. She served as a diplomat in Papua New Guinea, Afghanistan, and Vanuatu. Currently, Meg is Principal Director for Defence and National Security at Accenture.

All episodes of the Women in National Security mini-series are available here.

The Dr Margot McCarthy Scholarship for women in national security will be offered for the first time in 2023. This scholarship will provide women with financial aid in order to complete a Master of National Security Policy at The Australian National University. For more information, reach out to [email protected].

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. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.

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