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The National Security Podcast

Latest episodes

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Aug 24, 2023 • 54min

Mapping the future: how strategic foresight can supercharge policymaking

Physicist and futurist, Dr Joseph Voros, and guests discuss the practicality and value of futures analysis in policymaking, the challenges of long-term thinking, and practical examples of using a futures approach. They also explore human-to-machine interfacing, emerging challenges for governance, future challenges and trends, and provide sources of information and resources for strategic foresight.
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Aug 17, 2023 • 52min

Beyond crime scenes: the proactive power of modern forensic science

Dr. Simon Walsh, Chief Scientist Forensics at the Australian Federal Police, discusses the evolving world of forensic science and its implications for policing and national security. Topics include the shift to digital forensics, the intersection of electronic media and child abuse, and the AFP's role in disaster victim identification and international engagement.
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Aug 10, 2023 • 42min

Under a growing shadow: Kevin Yam on Hong Kong's future

Kevin Yam has a bounty on his head. The Australian citizen, who lived in Hong Kong for 20 years, is accused of breaching the infamous national security law China imposed on Hong Kong three years ago.In this episode of the National Security Podcast, he joins Professor Rory Medcalf to discuss the future of Hong Kong, lessons from his experience inside its pro-democracy movement, and his concerns about Australian judges serving in its judicial system.Kevin Yam is an Australia-based lawyer, presently pursuing his Master of Laws at the University of Melbourne. A Senior Fellow at Georgetown University's Center for Asian Law and an Editor-at-Large at Mekong Review, Yam is a prominent commentator on China and Hong Kong affairs. Notably, he is one of the eight activists targeted by Hong Kong's arrest warrant.  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.   Show notes: ANU National Security College academic programs: find out more Mekong Review We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. 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.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Aug 3, 2023 • 46min

The view from Washington: Charles Edel on Australia-US relations

What are the common misconceptions some Americans have about Australia?  How has the Australia-United States alliance been affected by the changing international order?  And what might the future of this relationship hold, given increasing collaboration between the two nations?  In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Charles Edel joins David Andrews to examine the Australia-United States relationship.  Charles Edel is a senior adviser and the inaugural Australia Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.  David Andrews is the acting Policy Manager at the ANU National Security College.  Show notes:  ANU National Security College academic programs: find out more Australia can be America’s green power hub in the Indo-Pacific, James Carouso and Charles Edel: read more   We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. 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.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Jul 27, 2023 • 50min

Addressing atrocities in the digital era

How can cyber capabilities be used in atrocity prevention?  What role could AI and machine learning play in humanitarian interventions?  And how has the proliferation of social media contributed to violence against minorities?  In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Associate Professor Cecilia Jacob and Dr Rhiannon Neilsen join Dr Danielle Ireland-Piper to shed light on the role of cyber and social media in humanitarianism.   Dr Rhiannon Neilsen is a Cyber Security Postdoctoral Fellow in the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University.  Dr Cecilia Jacob is an Associate Professor and Fellow in the Department of International Relations at the ANU Coral Bell School of Asia and the Pacific.  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   Read the GAAMAC Report: Preventing hate speech discrimination and incitement - lessons on promoting tolerance and respect for diversity in the Asia Pacific.  Cecilia Jacob, Foreign policy and promotion of human rights for atrocity prevention   We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. 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.    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Jul 20, 2023 • 38min

Risk and reward: Chinese Australians and the national security community

Is Australia’s Chinese diaspora misunderstood? What challenges do Chinese Australians face when trying to establish a career in the Australian Public Service? And how can the national security community increase pathways for this community to enter, and stay, in this field of work?   In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Dr Jennifer Hsu and Yun Jiang join Olivia Shen to unpack the diverse experiences of Chinese Australians and explore how these perspectives can enrich Australia's national security community.  Dr Jennifer Hsu is the author of the Lowy Institute’s 2023 Being Chinese in Australia: Public Opinion in Chinese Communities. She is Visiting Senior Fellow at the Social Policy and Research Centre at the University of New South Wales and most recently, Research Fellow and Project Director of the Multiculturalism, Identity and Influence Project at the Lowy Institute. Yun Jiang is the Australian Institute of International Affairs China Matters Fellow. She was previously the co-founder and editor of China Neican, managing editor of the China Story blog at the Australian Centre on China in the World at ANU, and a Commonwealth public servant. Olivia Shen is a Director in the Executive and Professional Development Program at the ANU National Security College.  Show notes: Being Chinese in Australia: Public opinion in Chinese communities - Lowy Institute ANU National Security College academic programs: find out more To share your own experiences on diversity and inclusion in the APS, please get in touch with the taskforce at caldstrategy@apsc.gov.au The Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP on forthcoming research by economists Robert Breunig, David Hansell and Nu Nu Win: read more   We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. 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.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Jul 13, 2023 • 49min

South Korea's Indo-Pacific Strategy: a new era of regional engagement

What does South Korea see as its role in the Indo-Pacific? How does it view the nuclear threat from North Korea?And what are the opportunities that the Australia-Korea relationship presents for regional security and stability?  In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Dr Go Myong-Hyun and Dr Lee Jaehyon from the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, join Professor Rory Medcalf to discuss South Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy and its implications for regional security and stability.  Dr Go Myong-Hyun is a research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies.  Dr Lee Jaehyon is a research fellow and director of the Center for ASEAN and Oceanian Studies at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies.   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.  Show notes: Asan Institute for Policy Studies Strategy for a Free, Peaceful, and Prosperous Indo-Pacific Region, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of KoreaANU National Security College academic programs: find out more  We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Jul 6, 2023 • 47min

Redefining the battlefield: robotics, artificial intelligence and the Australian Army

What is the Australian Army doing to develop its robotic and autonomous systems capabilities?  How likely is the prospect of autonomous 'killer robots' taking to the battlefield?  And can the Australian Defence Force partner with industry for technical solutions while maintaining sovereign capability?  In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Colonel Robin Smith joins Olivia Shen to shed light on the Australian Army’s Robotic and Autonomous Systems Strategy, and how the team he leads is implementing the plan.  Colonel Robin Smith is the inaugural Director of the Australian Army’s Robotic and Autonomous Systems Implementation and Coordination Office (RICO) within Future Land Warfare Branch of the Australian Army HQ. Olivia Shen is Director in the Executive and Professional Development Program at the ANU National Security College. Show notes: Robotic & Autonomous Systems Strategy Robotic and Autonomous Systems Implementation & Coordination Office (RICO)  Campaign to stop killer robots ANU National Security College academic programs: find out more  We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. 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.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Jun 29, 2023 • 53min

Strengthening Australia's social fabric: insights from Islam

How can a better understanding of the Islamic faith help strengthen social cohesion?  What steps can national security agencies take to ensure diverse communities feel valued?  And how can the public service more effectively attract and retain staff from these communities?  In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Islamic scholar and community leader Shaykh Ahmed Abdo, along with former Commonwealth Counter Terrorism Coordinator Tony Sheehan, join Olivia Shen to discuss how Australian governments can lay the groundwork of community engagement outside of crisis, in order to grow resilience and trust among diverse communities.  Shaykh Ahmed Abdo is an Islamic scholar and community leader in Sydney, as well as being a teacher and a mentor. Ahmed advises a range of government agencies on Islam and interfaith dialogue.  Tony Sheehan is a Distinguished Advisor at the ANU National Security College. He spent 32 years in government, including as the Commonwealth Counter-Terrorism Coordinator.  Olivia Shen is a Director in the Executive and Professional Development Program at the ANU National Security College.  Show notes: ANU National Security College scholarships: find out more  We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. 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.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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4 snips
Jun 22, 2023 • 37min

Can the US-China relationship be rehabilitated?

What are the pathways for the United States and China to improve their bilateral relationship? What might catalyse conflict between the two great powers?Is Australia prepared for this scenario – and will it take a crisis to find out?In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Dr Fiona Cunningham joins Gai Brodtmann to unpack the state of US-China relations and each country’s ability and willingness to resolve conflict through open communication. Dr Cunningham also explains how Australia could manage these challenges.Dr Fiona Cunningham is an Assistant Professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, where she studies technology and conflict in East Asia. Her research focuses on how countries leverage nuclear space, cyber and missile technology for coercion, with a focus on China.Gai Brodtmann is a Distinguished Advisor at the ANU National Security College, 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. Show notes: National Intelligence Community and National Security College Scholarship for Women: find out more We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. 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.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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