The National Security Podcast

Is Europe ready to defend itself without the United States? What roles do major countries like France, Germany, the UK, and partners like Australia play in this equation?

How is the European defence industry responding to the war in Ukraine and rising geopolitical uncertainty? 

Are the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific theatres now fully integrated in an era of global strategic competition?

In this episode, Thorsten Benner and Bruno Tertrais join Rory Medcalf to explore the evolving landscape of European security in the context of global challenges, particularly the impact of the Trump administration, the China-Russia dynamic, and the potential responses of countries like France and Germany.

Thorsten Benner is Co-founder and Director of the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi) in Berlin.

Bruno Tertrais is Deputy Director of the Fondation pour la recherche stratégique (FRS), a leading French think-tank on international security issues.

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. 

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 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 is the link between gender and extremism? What makes it a national security issue? 

Can domestic violence act as a ‘comorbidity’ for extremism and radicalisation? 

Should the Australian Government consider following the lead of other countries and classifying misogyny as a form of extremism? 

In this episode, Elise Stephenson and Pascale Taplin join Danielle Ireland-Piper to discuss the complex relationship between extremism, gender and national security.

Dr Elise Stephenson is the Deputy Director of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at ANU and Fellow at the ANU National Security College (NSC). 

Pascal Taplin is an anthropologist and PhD candidate at NSC. 

Associate Professor Danielle-Ireland Piper is Academic Director at NSC. 

TRANSCRIPT  

Show notes  

• NSC academic programs – find out more 
• Misogyny to be treated as extremism by UK government 
• From home to horror: the association between domestic violence and terrorism 
• See What You Made Me Do by Jess Hill – book 
• See What You Made Me Do – miniseries, documentary 
• National Security Law in Australia – chapter 8 Gender and National Security by Susan Harris Rimmer & Elise Stephenson 

We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected].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 kind of external pressures and foreign interference is Taiwan facing?  

How does Taiwan balance its status as a global tech giant with its regional security vulnerabilities?

In what ways are Australia’s interests intertwined with the security and resilience of Taiwan? 

In this episode, Ketty Chen and Mark Harrison join Susan Dietz to discuss Taiwan's national security challenges, focusing on the influence of China, the complexities of Taiwan's domestic politics, and the implications of its role in the global tech supply chain.

Dr Ketty Chen is Advisor for the National Bureau of Asian Research and an Expert Associate at the ANU National Security College (NSC). 

Dr Mark Harrison is Senior Lecturer in Chinese Studies in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Tasmania and an Expert Associate at NSC. 

Susan Dietz is Senior Executive Advisor, China at NSC. 

TRANSCRIPT   

Show notes 

• NSC academic programs – find out more.  
• Revolutionary Taiwan: Making Nationhood in a Changing World Order 
• President Lai introduced 17 major strategies to respond to five major national security and united front threats faced by Taiwan 
• Disinformation in Taiwan – report 

We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected].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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How does China’s leadership view the relationship with the US, and how has that perspective evolved over the years?

How might China seek to take advantage of recent actions by the Trump Administration that have destabilised the international order?

How should Australia respond to shifting US-China dynamics in the Indo-Pacific?

In this episode, Chris Buckley joins Susan Dietz to discuss the evolving relationship between China and the US, including the implications for economic and bilateral ties, and the wider geopolitical dynamics at play in the Indo-Pacific region.

Chris Buckley is the chief China correspondent for The New York Times. He reports on China and Taiwan from Taipei, and focuses on politics, social change, and security and military issues.

Susan Dietz is Senior Executive Advisor, China at the ANU National Security College.

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 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. 

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

Is Australia doing enough to make intelligence useful for policymakers, parliamentarians, and cabinet ministers? 

How can Australia build an intelligence workforce with a diverse range of skills, interests and backgrounds, and reflective of our society?  

How should Australia balance its intelligence independence with alliance integration? 

In this episode Chris Taylor and Miah Hammond-Errey join Rory Medcalf to delve into the 2024 Independent Intelligence Review, discussing the role of intelligence in an uncertain world, the relationship between intelligence and policy, and the impact of technology on intelligence. 

Chris Taylor is Head of the Statecraft & Intelligence Program at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. 

Dr Miah Hammond-Errey is the founding CEO of Strat Futures Pty Limited and host of the Technology & Security podcast. 

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. 

TRANSCRIPT  

Show notes 

• NSC academic programs – find out more.  
• Technology & Security podcast 
• 2024 Independent Intelligence Review 
• Adapting Australian intelligence to the information age 

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

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

What impact will cuts to foreign aid have on security in Southeast Asia and the Pacific? 

Why is international development essential to Australia’s diplomacy and security outlook? 

Do the recent Trump tariffs and withdrawal of aid demand a more active role for Australia and other middle powers? 

In this episode Melissa Conley Tyler and Mira Sulistiyanto join David Andrews to unpack the current state of foreign aid and international development, with a focus on cuts to USAID, its implications, and Australia’s role as aid partner for the region. 

Melissa Conley Tyler FAIIA is Executive Director of the Asia-Pacific Development, Diplomacy & Defence Dialogue. 

Mira Sulistiyanto is an international development expert currently working at the Development Intelligence Lab as Senior Analyst. 

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

TRANSCRIPT

Show notes 

• NSC academic programs – find out more.  
• Development disruption: What does it mean for Australia? 
• RAMSI 
• Australia stands firm behind its foreign aid in the budget, but the future remains precarious 
• Pulse Check x US Aid Disruptions 
• In brief: 2025 Australian Federal Budget 
• Balancing Act: 25 years of Australian international budgets 

We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected].You can contact us on X (formerly Twitter) and Bluesky, and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes. 

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

What are the biggest contemporary threats to food security? How do global shocks affect supply chains? 

How will the Trump tariffs impact Australian and global food security? 

How can Australian research help bolster food security in other regions?  

In this episode, Alison Bentley and Dirk van der Kley join David Andrews to share insights into the current state of food security, contemporary threats, and the need for research and innovation to ensure sustainable food systems. 

Dr Alison Bentley is Deputy Director, Agriculture and Food at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). 

Dr Dirk van der Kley is a Research Fellow at the ANU National Security College (NSC). 

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

TRANSCRIPT  

Show notes  

• NSC academic programs – find out more  
• The world is producing more food, but it is a mixed bag in terms of improving diets | Tom Campbell and Dirk van der Kley 
• Future (bio)made in Australia? | Dirk van der Kley, Dan Santos, Dan Pavlich 
• Genes and geopolitics 

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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Was China's live fire exercise off Australia's coast permissible under international law? What might have been the rationale behind this exercise?

Does this fit into a bigger pattern of Chinese maritime coercion, or was it a standalone incident?

What are the strategic implications for Australia of China's growing blue water naval capabilities? How should Australia respond?

In this episode Jennifer Parker and Douglas Guilfoyle join David Andrews to discuss China's recent naval operations off Australia, their legality, and the strategic lessons for Australia.

Jennifer Parker is an Expert Associate with the ANU National Security College (NSC).

Professor Douglas Guilfoyle is an expert in maritime security, the international law of the sea, and international and transnational criminal law at the University of New South Wales (Canberra).

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

TRANSCRIPT 

Show notes 

• NSC academic programs – find out more 
• If we panic about these Chinese ships, Xi wins the propaganda war
• At what point do we say ‘enough’ to Trump?

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 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 [email protected]. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes. 

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

How is the shift in foreign policy under Donald Trump reshaping US alliances, and what does this mean for global security?

To what extent is the US still a force for global stability?

Could the new direction in US foreign policy under Donald Trump succeed in pulling Russia away from its partnership with China?

In this episode, Beth Sanner joins Rory Medcalf to explore the Trump administration's approach to global issues – particularly in Europe and the Indo-Pacific, the evolving dynamics of US alliances, and the broader threat environment.

Beth Sanner is a Distinguished Advisor at the ANU National Security College (NSC). She is a former US Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Mission Integration and was Director of the President's Daily Brief during Donald Trump’s first stint as President. 

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

·      Australia confronts the new world disorder

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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