ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money

‘Hacking for Cash’ is a new ASPI podcast series exploring state sponsored campaigns of cyber espionage for commercial gain. Throughout the series we talk to experts who were close to the negotiations that led to a 2015 agreement between the United States and China to refrain from supporting and engaging in ‘hacking for cash’, as well as a G20 leaders’ commitment to stamp out cyber-enabled intellec...

This week, it’s all about the US-Australia alliance with conversations on Australia-US special operations forces cooperation and opportunities to strengthen the alliance through enhanced mutual understanding. Bec Shrimpton speaks to Chris Maier, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict in the US Department of Defense. They discuss the origin of special opera...

This week, the Australian Government released the Critical Minerals Strategy 2023 – 2030, which has four objectives, including building sovereign capability in critical minerals processing and creating diverse, resilient and sustainable supply chains through secure international partnerships. New ASPI analysis by the Honourable Kim Beazley and Ben Halton looks at the potential of one such partners...

This week, ASPI’s Director of Cyber, Technology and Security Dr Alex Caples speaks to Hamish Hansford, who was recently appointed Deputy Secretary of Cyber and Infrastructure Security at the Department of Home Affairs. They discuss the links between cyber security, supply chain security and critical infrastructure, as well as the rise in ransomware attacks, including on hospitals, and lessons lear...

In April this year, the Australian Government released the Defence Strategic Review which set an agenda of ambitious reform to Defence’s posture and structure. ASPI’s Jen Parker speaks to the US Studies Centre’s Professor Peter Dean, who co-authored the review. They discuss defence strategy in the maritime domain and next steps following on from the DSR, including the Surface Fleet Review, uncrewe...

In the final episode of ASPI’s special podcast series ‘The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions’, ASPI’s David Wroe speaks to David Waterhouse, Managing Director of Hypersonix. They discuss how the company Hypersonix came about, what hypersonic technology is and how it fits into defence strategy, as well as the future of Australia’s defence industry. Guests (in order of appearance): David Wroe: https:/...

In the penultimate episode of this special series, Justin Bassi speaks to Mr Kestutis Budrys, National Security Advisor to the President of Lithuania. They discuss Australia’s relationship with Lithuania, including how they’re partnering to address shared challenges to national security, and Russia’s war on Ukraine and how it has galvanised Europe. ‘The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions’ is a short...

In the latest episode of ASPI’s special podcast series ‘The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions’, ASPI’s Director of Defence Strategy, Bec Shrimpton speaks to Misha Zelinsky, a Fulbright Scholar and national security expert. They discuss Misha’s career background and what led him to work in national security. Misha details his recent experiences reporting from Ukraine on Russia’s war, including his vi...

In 2022, then U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, despite threats of retaliation from Beijing over the visit. Dr Samantha Hoffman speaks to Nadège Rolland about Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan visit, Beijing’s propaganda, and its effectiveness. While climate change is primarily viewed as an environmental challenge, Australia, like many other countries, is increasingly focused on the impli...

In this episode of ‘The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions’, Dr Alex Caples, Director of Cyber, Technology and Security at ASPI speaks to Dr Dirk Hager, Head of Operational Cyber Security at Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security. They discuss cyber security and critical infrastructure, emerging cyber security threats, including the increasing threat of ransomware, and the challenge govern...

In this episode of ASPI's special podcast series, The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions, John Leslie, Director of Trade and Investment and Lead for Space & Defence at Austrade speaks to Heather Richman, Entrepreneur in Residence at BMNT, and Linda Lourie, Senior Advisor with WestExec Advisors. They discuss all things defence innovation, investment and security. The conversation covers the different...

On 24 April, the Albanese Government released an unclassified version of the Defence Strategic Review. The roadmap for the ADF over the next decade has been generally well-received, albeit with questions about some of the specifics. The Review advocates the need for Australia to do more of the regional security heavy lifting, while also deepening our key partnerships. To unpack this seminal docume...

Earlier this month, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute hosted The Sydney Dialogue, a global summit on critical, emerging, cyber and space technologies. Senior government, industry and civil society leaders from across the globe joined us in Sydney for discussions on policy solutions to the biggest challenges we are facing. On the event’s sidelines, we spoke to a number of special guests on...

In this episode, Justin Bassi speaks to Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Robert Mardini. They discuss the importance of neutrality to the ICRC’s work, how the development of technology is impacting conflict and the challenges international humanitarian actors face in getting access to affected populations. Dr Alex Bristow speaks to Vice Admiral Louise Dedich...

Earlier this month, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute hosted The Sydney Dialogue, a global summit on critical, emerging, cyber and space technologies. Senior government, industry and civil society leaders from across the globe joined us in Sydney for discussions on policy solutions to the biggest challenges we are facing. On the event’s sidelines, we spoke to a number of special guests on...

Just over a week ago, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute hosted The Sydney Dialogue, a global summit on critical, emerging, cyber and space technologies. Senior government, industry and civil society leaders from across the globe joined us in Sydney for discussions on policy solutions to the biggest challenges we are facing. On the event’s sidelines, we spoke to a number of special guests o...

In a special episode of Policy, Guns and Money, we are grateful to be joined by Dr Yuriy Sak, Advisor to Ukraine’s Minister of Defence, for a conversation on Russia’s war on Ukraine. ASPI’s Bec Shrimpton speaks to Yuriy about transparency and Russian propaganda, Moscow’s decision to place nuclear weapons in Belarus and the path ahead. Yuriy shares his thoughts on China’s proposed peace plan, the i...

Next week, ASPI will convene The Sydney Dialogue – the world’s leading policy summit on critical, emerging, cyber and space technologies. To give a preview of the discussions, Bec Shrimpton speaks to Professor Alan Duffy about opportunities in the space sector, Space 2.0 and the growing nexus between emerging technology and space. Continuing on the technology theme, Danielle Cave and Jamie Gaida d...

This week on the podcast, we are delighted to be joined once again by Becca Wasser from the Center for New American Security. Becca joins Justin Bassi for a conversation on AUKUS, integrated deterrence and US foreign policy. Becca details some of the strategic challenges Australia and the United States face in the Indo-Pacific, and how AUKUS can contribute to security and stability in the region....

In this special episode, Justin Bassi speaks with Richard Fontaine and Lisa Curtis from the Center for a New American Security, and Alessio Patalano from King’s College London, about the strategic imperatives and future challenges of AUKUS. With the AUKUS optimal submarine pathway now unveiled, there are big plans, big promises, and a lot of work to do. Why do we need AUKUS? How do we improve info...

After the long-awaited AUKUS submarines announcement, ASPI director Bec Shrimpton and senior analyst Malcolm Davis give their analysis of the decisions unveiled in San Diego on Tuesday AEDT. In conversation with David Wroe, Bec and Malcolm give their views on the role nuclear submarines can play in deterrence, the cost of the program weighed against the potential costs of underinvesting in defence...

This week, Brendan Nicholson talks to a stellar panel of guests about the future of peacekeeping and women, peace and security. We have United Nations Military Advisor General Birame Diop, the highest-ranking military officer in the UN’s peace-keeping operations Former Force Commander of UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, Australian Major-General Cheryl Pearce and Australia’s Defence Attache to the...

Governments and industry are constantly innovating in the space sector, but as space becomes increasingly contested and congested, there is a need to ensure the space domain is secure – something that will be central to discussions at ASPI’s Sydney Dialogue on 4-5 April. Bec Shrimpton speaks to HEO Robotics’ Dr Will Crowe about the opportunities in space and the potential for Australia in the glob...

One year on from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, David Wroe asks Paul Dibb, Emeritus Professor of strategic studies at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre in the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, how Russia’s war in Ukraine will play out in the coming months. They discuss Putin’s calculations and the durability of support from the West, as well as the implications of Russia’s susp...

Baani Grewal speaks to Ashok Malik, Partner and Chair of the India Practice at The Asia Group and ASPI Visiting Fellow. They discuss India’s foreign policy under Modi, including its relationships with the West, and China and Russia; and developments in the Australia-India relationship, including why it’s significant that the Raisina Dialogue is coming to Sydney. The information domain is critical...