The National Security Podcast

In this episode of National Security Podcast, Shadow Minister for Home Affairs and Government Accountability Senator Kristina Keneally joins Professor Rory Medcalf on the first episode of Security Summit with Rory Medcalf to discuss the threat right-wing extremism poses to Australia’s national security.With right-wing extremism on the rise in Australia, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the Australian Federal Police are dramatically increasing the time and resources they spend on tracking and combating this threat to national security. In this episode of the National Security Podcast, we launch our new stream – Security Summit with Rory Medcalf – by hosting Senator Kristina Keneally, member of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, to discuss the shape of the challenge, why it has increased in severity, and whether government has the right tools at its disposal to deal with right-wing extremism. Senator Kristina Keneally is the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Australian Senate where she serves as the Shadow Minister for Home Affairs and Government Accountability and member of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. Prior to entering the Senate, Senator Keneally was Premier of New South Wales.Professor Rory Medcalf is Head of the National Security College at The Australian National University. His professional background involves more than two decades of experience across diplomacy, intelligence analysis, think tanks, and journalism.Chris Farnham is the producer of the National Security Podcast. He joined the National Security College in June 2015 and is currently Senior Outreach and Policy Officer. After serving as a soldier in the Australian Army, Chris has worked in roles throughout East Asia with a focus on geopolitics and regional security.We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or find us on Facebook. The National Security Podcast and Policy Forum Pod are available on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and wherever you get your podcasts.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Rory Medcalf, Katherine Mansted and Chris Farnham look over the wild ride that was 2020 and discuss what we should be watching out for in 2021.With a pandemic, climate-induced megafires, plummeting relations with China, and a democratic crisis in the United States there was no shortage of issues confronting national security policymakers in 2020. In this episode of the National Security Podcast, co-hosts Rory Medcalf, Katherine Mansted and Chris Farnham break down the issues and consider what really mattered in 2020, what some of the issues were that flew beneath the radar, and what we should be watching out for in 2021. Professor Rory Medcalf is Head of the National Security College at The Australian National University (ANU). His professional background involves more than two decades of experience across diplomacy, intelligence analysis, think tanks, and journalism.Katherine Mansted is a senior adviser at the ANU National Security College and non-resident fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Previously, she was a commercial solicitor with King & Wood Mallesons, a ministerial adviser to the federal government, and served as an Associate in the High Court of Australia.Chris Farnham is the presenter of the National Security Podcast. He joined the ANU National Security College in 2015 and is currently Senior Outreach and Policy Officer. Prior to joining ANU, Chris was a soldier in the Australian Army, and an analyst for think tanks and private intelligence companies where he focused on geopolitics and East Asian regional security. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or find us on Facebook. The National Security Podcast and Policy Forum Pod are available on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Greg Moriarty — Secretary of the Department of Defence — joins Rory Medcalf to discuss Australia’s Defence agenda in a contested Indo-Pacific.With Australia’s regional superiority eroding, defence modernisation and effective strategies are imperative for Australia’s defence forces. In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Head of the National Security College Professor Rory Medcalf speaks with Secretary Greg Moriarty on Australia’s efforts to develop and maintain a cutting edge military, defending Australia’s interests whilst maintaining good relations with Indo-Pacific nations, and how the Australian Defence Force retains its social license at a time when its integrity is being questioned.Greg Moriarty has served as the Secretary of Defence since 2017. Prior to his role with Defence, Greg has served as the International and National Security Advisor and the Chief of Staff to an Australian PrimeMinister, as Australia’s Ambassador to Indonesia and Iraq, the Commonwealth Counter-Terrorism Coordinator and in numerous senior roles in the Defence Intelligence Organisation.Professor Rory Medcalf is Head of the National Security College at The Australian National University. His professional background involves more than two decades of experience across diplomacy, intelligence analysis, think tanks, and journalism.Chris Farnham is the presenter of the National Security Podcast. He joined the ANU National Security College in 2015 and is currently Senior Outreach and Policy Officer. Prior to joining ANU, Chris was a soldier in the Australian Army, and an analyst for think tanks and private intelligence companies where he focused on geopolitics and East Asian regional security.We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or find us on Facebook. The National Security Podcast and Policy Forum Pod are available on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of National Security Podcast, Frances Adamson — Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade— joins Rory Medcalf to discuss the national security challenges facing Australia in an age of disruption.With the destructive impact of COVID-19 reverberating around the world, exacerbating the disruptive forces of great power competition, Australian efforts to support its own national interests have rarely been more important. In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Head of the National Security College Rory Medcalf speaks with Secretary Frances Adamson on Australia’s tense relationship with China, how Australia perceives its interests and what Australia’s diplomatic community is doing to secure Australia in an age of disruption.Frances Adamson has led Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as Secretary since 2016 and in her time as a public official has served as International Adviser to a Prime Minister, Ambassador to China, and High Commissioner to Great Britain among numerous other senior government roles.Professor Rory Medcalf is Head of the National Security College at The Australian National University. His professional background involves more than two decades of experience across diplomacy, intelligence analysis, think tanks, and journalism.Chris Farnham is the presenter of the National Security Podcast. He joined the ANU National Security College in 2015 and is currently Senior Outreach and Policy Officer. Prior to joining ANU, Chris was a soldier in the Australian Army, and an analyst for think tanks and private intelligence companies where he focused on geopolitics and East Asian regional security.We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or find us on Facebook. The National Security Podcast and Policy Forum Pod are available on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and wherever you get your podcasts.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of National Security Podcast, Dr Vasabjit Banerjee — specialist in comparative politics, electoral competition and political violence — joins Chris Farnham to discuss the current situation in the United States and the future of American democracy.  With the sitting president refusing to accept the election result and claiming mass-voter fraud, whilst his supporters take to the streets and threaten violence, the United States stands at a political crossroads. In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Dr Vasabjit Banerjee – Assistant Professor and Coordinator of International Studies at Mississippi State University – talks with Chris Farnham about why President Trump has been such a shock to American democracy, why he is leveraging social unrest and what his lasting impact on American politics is likely to be.Vasabjit Banerjee is an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of International Studies at Mississippi State University where he specialises in comparative politics, electoral competition, contentious politics and political violence. Chris Farnham is the presenter of the National Security Podcast. He joined the ANU National Security College in June 2015 and is currently Senior Outreach and Policy Officer. Prior to joining the ANU, Chris was a soldier in the Australian Army, and an analyst for think tanks and private intelligence companies where he focused on geopolitics and East Asian regional security. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or find us on Facebook. The National Security Podcast and Policy Forum Pod are available on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and wherever you get your podcasts.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of National Security Podcast, Caroline Millar — Deputy Secretary, National Security at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet — joins Rory Medcalf to discuss the role of the national security professional in an age of disruption. With the COVID-19 pandemic super-charging Australia’s threat landscape, issues such as great power competition, technological disruption and challenges to the rules-based order are weighing heavily on the desks of national security policymakers. In this episode of National Security Podcast, Caroline Millar — Australia’s Deputy Secretary, National Security at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet — talks with Rory Medcalf about the national security challenges Australia faces going into the 2020s. They also explore the evolution of the national security community from the Cold War, through the post-9/11 period to the present moment.Caroline Millar is Deputy Secretary, National Security at Australia’s Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Prior to this role, Caroline was a senior diplomat, intelligence analyst and policymaker in Australia’s national security and policy community.Professor Rory Medcalf is Head of the National Security College at The Australian National University. His professional background involves more than two decades of experience across diplomacy, intelligence analysis, think tanks, and journalism.Chris Farnham is the presenter of the National Security Podcast. He joined the National Security College in June 2015 and is currently Senior Outreach and Policy Officer. His career focus has been on geopolitics with experience working in and out of China for a number of years as well as operating in Australia and Southeast Asia. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or find us on Facebook. The National Security Podcast and Policy Forum Pod are available on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and wherever you get your podcasts.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs Michael Pezzullo AO joins Head of the National Security College Professor Rory Medcalf to discuss security in an age of disruption. In the latest instalment of the National Security College’s 10th Anniversary Conversation Series — which explores insights from leaders of the Australian national security community — the Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs shares his philosophical and practical perspectives on national security, how we think about national security in an increasingly complex and interconnected world, and how we can work together across government, the private sector, and in our communities to maintain a prosperous, secure, and united Australia. Michael Pezzullo AO is the Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs. Michael has also served as the Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection and CEO of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, as well as Deputy Secretary for Strategy in the Department of Defence.Professor Rory Medcalf is Head of the National Security College at The Australian National University. His professional background involves more than two decades of experience across diplomacy, intelligence analysis, think tanks, and journalism.We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or find us on Facebook. The National Security Podcast and Policy Forum Pod are available on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and wherever you get your podcasts.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of National Security Podcast, expert on information warfare Molly McKew joins Chris Farnham to discuss the influence of disinformation on the United States presidential election. With less than one month until the US election - and the president testing positive for COVID-19 - the whirlwind of conspiracy theories and disinformation attacks has gone into overdrive. In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Molly McKew dissects disinformation campaigns from conspiracy theories - and foreign from domestic narratives. She outlines how the US elections might be influenced, the likelihood of post-election violence, and why elected US representatives have become some of the greatest super-spreaders of false information.Molly McKew is a writer and an expert on information warfare. Molly served as adviser to the former president of Georgia and is CEO of Fianna Strategies, a consulting firm that advises governments, political parties, and non-government organisations on foreign policy and strategic communication.Chris Farnham is the presenter of the National Security Podcast. He joined the National Security College in June 2015 and is currently Senior Outreach and Policy Officer. His career focus has been on geopolitics with experience working in and out of China for a number of years as well as operating in Australia and Southeast Asia.We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or find us on Facebook. The National Security Podcast and Policy Forum Pod are available on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and wherever you get your podcasts.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of National Security Podcast, Chris Farnham is joined by Glenn Keys and Dr Geetha Isaac-Toua to discuss Australia’s response to COVID-19 and the role of the private sector in national security.With Australia likely to have avoided a nation-wide second wave of COVID-19, this episode of National Security Podcast considers some of the broader aspects of the national pandemic response. Did Australia grasp the challenge accurately from the outset, are we expecting too much from a potential vaccine, and should Australia be a regional leader in health security? The panel also discuss what Australia needs so that it doesn't have to compete internationally for life-sustaining resources. In our second episode on the role private industry plays in national security, we speak to Founder and Executive Chairman of Aspen Medical Glenn Keys AO and Medical Director Dr Geetha Isaac-Toua about the leading role the health industry is playing in supporting the Australian government’s pandemic response. Dr Geetha Isaac-Toua is an experienced physician and Medical Director at Aspen Medical with public health experience that includes humanitarian aid and disaster management.Glenn Keys AO is the founder and Executive Chairman of Aspen Medical. Glenn was previously a serving member of the Australian Defence Force where he undertook a range of tasks from training to test flying and engineering to logistics support for Army aircraft.Chris Farnham is the presenter of the National Security Podcast. He joined the National Security College in June 2015 and is currently Senior Outreach and Policy Officer. His career focus has been on geopolitics with experience working in and out of China for a number of years as well as operating in Australia and Southeast Asia. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or find us on Facebook. The National Security Podcast and Policy Forum Pod are available on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and wherever you get your podcasts.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of National Security Podcast, Chris Farnham is joined by Jacob Shapiro to discuss some of the important geopolitical issues flying below the media radar.With the COVID-19 pandemic, China's rise fuelling tensions across the region, and unfolding chaos in the United States, this year could not be more action-packed for national security policymakers. Still, there are a number of other enormously important issues and trends in the world that barely get a mention. In this episode of National Security Podcast, we chat with Jacob Shapiro about the geopolitical issues that are changing the world. We discuss the breakdown of the global food supply, examine why previously tight relations between Latin American countries are breaking down, tackle whether peace is really breaking out in the Middle East, and ask what is Open-RAN?Jacob Shapiro is the Founder and Chief Strategist at Perch Perspectives Geopolitical Consulting. Prior to that, Jacob was a Senior Analyst at Geopolitical Futures and the Head of the Watch Officer Team at geopolitical intelligence firm Stratfor Worldview. Chris Farnham is the presenter of the National Security Podcast. He joined the National Security College in June 2015 and is currently Senior Outreach and Policy Officer. His career focus has been on geopolitics with experience working in and out of China for a number of years as well as operating in Australia and Southeast Asia.We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or find us on Facebook. The National Security Podcast and Policy Forum Pod are available on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and wherever you get your podcasts.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.