Stop the World

Stop the World is back from its summer hiatus and, with so many major developments already, there’s much ground to cover in 2025.     This week, ASPI’s Raji Pillai Rajagopalan speaks to Euan Graham and Griffith University’s Ian Hall about the Quad partnership between Australia, India, Japan and the United States. They discuss the significance of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Washington DC just days into the new Trump Administration, and the security role of the grouping in the coming years, including how – and whether – the Quad partners are thinking about deterrence.     Guests:   Raji Pillai Rajagopalan  Euan Graham  Ian Hall  

In this episode of Stop the World, ASPI’s Executive Director Justin Bassi speaks with Australia’s National Cyber Security Coordinator Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness CSC to discuss her role and how it helps protect Australians online.   LTGEN McGuinness explores the dual role that the National Office of Cyber Security plays in preparing for and responding to increasing cyber incidents, the importance of building resilience to respond efficiently and effectively to them, and how preventative measures such as using multi-factor authentication can mitigate over 80 percent of cyber risks.   Justin and LTGEN McGuinness also discuss the role that attribution plays in deterring malicious cyber activity and how attribution can improve mitigation strategies, drive norms and establish that Australia does not tolerate unacceptable behaviour in cyberspace.   Guests:  Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness - https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-us/who-we-are/our-senior-staff/lieutenant-general-michelle-mcguinness-csc  Justin Bassi - https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/justin-bassi 

Thijs van der Plas, Netherlands Ambassador to NATO, Anita Nergaard, Norway's Ambassador to NATO, and Scott M. Oudkirk, US Chargé d'affaires to NATO, delve into NATO's strategic evolution amid the war in Ukraine. They reveal insights on collective defense spending, NATO's expansion, and the implications for global security. The trio discusses the war's trajectory and the influence of China and North Korea, highlighting the importance of Indo-Pacific relationships for NATO's strategy. A fascinating conversation on the interconnectedness of Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security unfolds!

In the latest episode of Stop the World, David Wroe speaks to Kevin Yam and Ted Hui, two of Australia’s most prominent exiled Hong Kong democracy activists.  Kevin is a research fellow at the University of Melbourne Law School and a commentator on China and Hong Kong. Ted Hui is a lawyer who was previously a member of Hong Kong's legislature before he was forced to leave in 2020.   David, Kevin and Ted talk about the current state of democracy in Hong Kong and how authorities are applying the sweeping national security law that was imposed on the region by Beijing in 2020. They also discuss the recent mass sentencing of pro-democracy activists under the national security law, including the case of Australian man Gordon Ng who was sentenced to smore than seven years in jail.  With four Australian judges remaining on Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal, they also discuss whether there is value in foreign judges remaining on the court, or if they are legitimising an authoritarian regime, and examine the Australia-China relationship and the impact it has on Canberra's position on Hong Kong.  Guests:  Kevin Yam   Ted Hui  

Today on Stop the World, David Wroe speaks with Casey Mock and Sasha Fegan from the US-based Center for Humane Technology. The CHT is at the forefront of efforts to ensure technology makes our lives better, and strengthens rather than divides our communities. They also produce the podcast, Your Undivided Attention—one of the world’s most popular forums for deep and serious conversations about the impact of technology on society. David, Casey and Sasha discuss the tragic case of 14-year-old Sewell Setzer, who took his life after forming an intimate attachment to an online chatbot. They also talk about persuasive technologies that influence users at deep emotional and even unconscious levels, disinformation, the increasingly polluted information landscape, deepfakes, the pros and cons of age verification for social media and Australia’s approach to these challenges. To read ASPI’s latest report, ‘Persuasive technologies in China: Implications for the future of national security’, please visit https://www.aspi.org.au/report/persuasive-technologies-china-implications-future-national-security Warning: this episode discusses mental health and suicide, which some listeners might find distressing. If you need someone to talk to, help is available through a range of services, including Lifeline on 13 11 14 and Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36.

In this episode of Stop the World, ASPI Senior Analyst Alex Bristow interviews John Spencer, the Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point and host of the Urban Warfare Project podcast.    Alex and John discuss urban warfare in the context of the conflict in Ukraine and Gaza, asymmetric capabilities and the impact of technology on warfare.  They also talk about the laws of armed conflict and the public debate around Israel and Gaza, as well consider prospects for peace in Ukraine.      Guests:   Dr Alex Bristow  John Spencer  

In the latest video edition of The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions, ASPI Senior Fellow Dr Robert Glasser speaks to the former President of Kiribati and Chair of the Pacific Elders Voice Anote Tong.    Anote is one of the Pacific region’s most prominent and respected advocates for action to combat climate change.   Robert and Anote discuss the impact that climate change is having in the Pacific and what action needs to be taken now to limit further climate disruptions.    They also discuss Australia’s relationship with the Pacific, China’s presence in the region and the opportunities and challenges that great power competition presents for Pacific Island nations.     Anote was a panellist at The Sydney Dialogue, ASPI’s premier policy summit for critical, emerging and cyber technologies, held on September 2 and 3. This special episode is the sixth is a series of podcasts filmed on the sidelines of the conference.   Speakers:   Anote Tong - https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/anote-tong Dr Robert Glasser - https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/robert-glasser

In this episode of Stop the World, Justin Bassi speaks to retired General Tom Middendorp – also known as the ‘Climate General’ – about the links between climate change, defence and security. They discuss the impact of climate change on the military and its role in disaster preparedness and response. With a growing global population meaning a growing demand on natural resources, the conversation also explores how we can adapt and learn to do more with fewer resources. They consider the role that technology and innovation can play in responding to climate change, as well as the importance of supply chain security. They also discuss the different climate risks in South and Southeast Asia and the Pacific, and how countries like Australia and the Netherlands can work together to support these regions and help address the combined climate and security threats we face. Guests: Justin Bassi General Tom Middendorp

In this episode of Stop the World, ASPI’s Dr Malcolm Davis and Dr Cathy Moloney speak with special guest General Sir Jim Hockenhull, Commander of the United Kingdom’s Strategic Command. They discuss the global strategic outlook and the importance of partnerships, including AUKUS, and the need for partners to be truly integrated. They explore how artificial intelligence, cyber and electronic warfare are transforming the military domain, and how countries like the UK and Australia can adapt. They also talk about the UK’s Strategic Defence Review, which is currently under way and due to be released next year. General Hockenhull details the challenges and questions the review aims to address, and the similarities between the UK’s review and Australia’s Defence Strategic Review. Guests: Dr Malcolm Davis Dr Cathy Moloney General Sir Jim Hockenhull

In the latest edition of the Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions, ASPI Analyst Daria Impiombato interviews Japanese politician Arfiya Eri. Arfiya is a Japanese woman of Uyghur and Uzbek heritage. She talks about her experiences in Japanese politics, her experiences online and the importance of diversity in politics. They discuss Japan’s place in the world as well as identity, diversity and national security. If you want to watch this interview rather than listen, head over to ASPI’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ASPICanberra/videos To watch Arfiya’s Sydney Dialogue session on demand, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caQskODUU7M