
Global Roaming with Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald
A war breaks out, a leader emerges, a revolution unfolds. How did it happen, and what are the implications for you?
Two award-winning journalists with decades of experience reporting on major world events, Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald join forces for a fresh conversation about global news and how to make sense of it.
Along with expert guests, they take a single topic and examine it with Australian eyes. Challenging, thoughtful and fun, Global Roaming is your user's guide to what the world is talking about.
Latest episodes

May 23, 2025 • 34min
Will today's atrocities be forgotten tomorrow?
Some news stories shake the world, others barely make the front page. In the era of Donald Trump, many important stories are being forgotten.Lindsey Hilsum is one of the journalism's most experienced and fearless foreign correspondents.She shares reflections on a career spent running towards atrocities and how to balance covering Trump and the stories we're missing.Guest: Lindsey Hilsum, Channel 4 News International Editor, author of I Brought The War with Me; Stories and Poems from the Front LineRecommendations:Hamish: Lindsey Hilsum on Desert Island Discs, BBCKylie: You Don’t Belong Here: How Three Women Rewrote the Story of War, Elizabeth BeckerGet in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

May 16, 2025 • 38min
Trump, the $600m flying palace and world peace?
Donald Trump's tour of the Middle East was three days of glitz, gold and billion-dollar deals. The big surprise was a meeting with Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa. Does this signal an intent to reshape the region and some of its enduring conflicts? And does the decision not to visit Israel signal a cooling relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu?Recommendations:Kylie: Jerusalem the biography by Simon Sebag Montefiori Hamish: Donald Trump seeks bromance and billions as he heads to Gulf, FTGET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

May 9, 2025 • 38min
Can Albo trust Trump with our secrets?
The Australian Signals Directorate is one of Australia's most secretive agencies, responsible for decoding enemy messages, protecting us from cyber threats and collaborating with allied intelligence services. Rachel Noble knows how the machine works, as the former head of ASD she helped shape Australia's role in the Five Eyes alliance. Now, with Trump's return and Signal-gate leaks, can Australia still trust its closest ally?Guest: Rachel Noble, former Director-General of Australia Signals Directorate Recommendations:Geraldine: The Crisis of our Time by Christopher ClarkHamish: East West Street by Philippe SandsGET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

May 5, 2025 • 30min
Bonus: Vatican foreign minister Paul Gallagher
As the world awaits the sitting of the conclave and the appointment of a new Pope, Geraldine sits down with the Vatican's Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Gallagher in the Apostolic Palace.Get in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

May 2, 2025 • 31min
What does Putin want in Indonesia?
The Australian election campaign was rocked by allegations that Moscow had requested access to an Indonesian air base for use by long-range Russian military planes.Russia and Indonesia have a long and deep history of cooperation and trade going back to Indonesian independence, which appears to be strengthening under President Prabowo Subianto. Does Australia have reason to be concerned?Guest: Dr Marty Natalegawa, former Foreign Minister of IndonesiaGet in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Apr 30, 2025 • 0sec
AUKUS INVESTIGATED 06: Premier Peter Malinauskas
There are two states that have the most to gain, and the most to lose, when it comes to AUKUS: South Australia and Western Australia. In the final episode of AUKUS Investigated Hamish and Geraldine speak to South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas about why he thinks the rest of the country needs to come to the AUKUS party. NOTE: This podcast was first released on 20 December 2024.GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Apr 24, 2025 • 29min
What does a West-less future look like?
A great re-balancing is underway from the Western world to a much more diverse future.As developing nations rise up with greater wealth, military power, demographic heft and cultural influence, will Western nations give up their privileged positions willingly?Guest: Dr Samir Puri, author of Westlessness: The great global rebalancing; Director, Global Governance and Security Centre at Chatham House; former UK diplomat Get in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Apr 23, 2025 • 32min
AUKUS INVESTIGATED 05: Radioactive ripples
AUKUS doesn't only affect us. From the time that it was announced there were mixed reactions from our neighbours - some who wanted in, and some who thought it unwise and provocative. A big part of the fear - both regionally and within Australia - concerns the nuclear question. As the first non-nuclear country to ever acquire a conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarine, can we be confident of our own safety? And what happens to the waste that will remain dangerous for generations of Australians to come? NOTE: This podcast was first released on 20 December 2024.GUESTS:Gareth Evans - former Australian Foreign Minister (1988 –1996).Maria Rost Rublee - Associate Professor of International Relations at Monash University, with expertise in international security and nuclear politics.Dr Evan Laksmana - Senior Fellow for Southeast Asia Military Modernisation at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).GET IN TOUCH: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Apr 22, 2025 • 17min
🚨 The politics of the Pope
The death of Pope Francis closes the door on a papacy that was focused on the plight of migrants and other vulnerable groups. In this emergency episode, what was the Pontiff's contribution to global politics and who might come after him?Get in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Apr 18, 2025 • 28min
Why isn't Australia debating foreign policy at this election?
Election day is looming at a time when events beyond our borders are shaping the debate as much as the politicians are. The major parties have avoided discussion of foreign policy, despite the need for new policies and partnerships for this uncertain time. With no scheduled debate on foreign policy, we discuss some of the key questions confronting the nation with:Tim Watts, the Assistant Minister for Foreign AffairsSenator Dave Sharma Independent MP Zoe DanielGet in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au