In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, special host Steve Kuper is joined by Jennifer Parker, expert associate at the National Security College, Australian National University and a former Navy officer, to discuss the growing need for an Australian Coast Guard. The pair discuss the mounting level of hybrid and grey zone warfare in the maritime commons and economic exclusion zones across the Indo-Pacific and Southeast Asia, which has prompted a radical shift among regional nations seeking to secure their maritime interests. The pair also discuss:

• The impact on the naval surface fleet as it is increasingly called upon to engage in maritime border patrol and security missions across Australia’s vast maritime area of responsibility.
• The regional trend towards establishing a formalised Coast Guard to ease the burden on regional navies and a variety of models available for Australian consideration.
• The history of Australia’s push towards developing a Coast Guard and the opportunity to provide an additional contributing capability for national security in the event of conflict in the region.