Defence & Security Podcast Network

In the wake of the coronavirus crisis, a global shortage of protective face shields prompted a collaborative project between the Department of Defence and a local SME to help support medical workers battling the virus on the frontline. On this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, host Phil Tarrant s joined by Ben Barona, program leader of research and engineering at Defence Science and Technolo...

On this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Major General Mick Ryan AM and host Phil Tarrant delve into the importance of developing the intellectual advantage of Australia's defence community. MAJGEN Ryan breaks down his role as the commander of the Australian Defence College, how Australia's training and education programs compare to its allies, and what advantages Australia has in terms of...

Dubbed "Australia's most sacred place" by Prime Minister Scott Morrison in his recent Anzac Day address, the Australian War Memorial is the nation's tribute to the courage and sacrifice of generations of men and women who served in war. On this episode of Defence Connect Podcast, host Phil Tarrant is joined by Matthew Anderson to discuss his pathway to being appointed the War Memorial's director j...

Major General Marcus Thompson AM has been the head of the Information Warfare Division at the Department of Defence since its establishment in 2017. MAJGEN Thompson joins hosts Phil Tarrant and Steve Kuper on this episode of Defence Connect Insight Podcast to discuss what prompted the formation of the division, and how his strategy strikes a balance between reactively responding to emerging threat...

On this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, host Phil Tarrant and deputy editor Steve Kuper recap the biggest national security and defence industry headlines over the past few weeks. They reflect on the ongoing challenge to national sovereignty in the face of COVID-19, the complexities surrounding Australia's position in the Indo-Pacific, and a major milestone for Navy's OPV program. Phil and...

On this episode of Defence Connect Insight Podcast, visiting fellow at the Griffith University Asia Institute, Dr Peter Layton, unpacks the forward-looking problem-solving approach that is grand strategy. Dr Layton and host Steve Kuper delve into the importance of building such a strategy for Australia, why China's expansion into the Pacific could be a cause for concern, and how Australia can resp...

Northrop Grumman is making headway on its goal of locally manufacturing all assets of its unmanned minehunting system AQS-24B for use within Australia. Tune in to this episode of Defence Connect Podcast with host Phil Tarrant to hear from the company's director of international mine warfare programs, Gene Cumm, on its accomplishments over the past year. Cumm reveals the finer details of the AQS-24...

Veterans Darren Schuback and Ryan Carmichael established The Whiskey Project with the intent of disrupting the maritime technology space, launching the kind of modular tactical watercraft they wished they'd had access to when they served. Schuback and Carmichael join host Phil Tarrant on this episode of Defence Connect Podcast to share how their career paths merged into founding their business, th...

On this episode of Defence Connect Insight Podcast, Andrew Hastie MP joins hosts Phil Tarrant and Steve Kuper to break down the unique dynamics of the relationship between Australia and China. The federal member for Canning and chair of the parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security dissects China's rising influence in the Pacific, the security challenges China poses to Australia's...

A common misconception about negotiation is that it's an innate skill one is born with, but according to partner and principal at Scotwork, Simon Kelland, it's a learned ability that takes training and practice. On this episode of Defence Connect Podcast, Kelland joins host Phil Tarrant to deep dive into his work with Defence and major primes in consulting and advisory, the telltale signs of a goo...

In the lead up to International Women's Day this Sunday, 8 March, international consultant and published author Jennifer Wittwer discusses female empowerment in a traditionally male-dominated defence industry. Wittwer joins host Phil Tarrant on this episode of Defence Connect to share her untraditional 39-year career trajectory in the defence realm, her perception of how attitudes towards women in...

On this inaugural episode of Defence Connect Insight Podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant and Steve Kuper are joined by John Blackburn AO to delve into the complex and somewhat controversial subject of Australia's national resilience. Blackburn explains the difference between natural and unnatural disasters, why import dependency on other countries for products such as medicine and fuel is a national secur...

Useful thinking is a pragmatic philosophy for dealing with circumstances one cannot change through the conscious adoption of a productive mindset, coined by professional speaker and author Chris Helder. On this episode of Defence Connect Podcast, Helder joins host Phil Tarrant to explain how a tragic loss triggered the foundation of his book Useful Belief , why this way of thinking has become so v...

While veterans can offer a very unique skill set to commercial and corporate organisations, according to Matthew Williams, "It's not as simple as taking off the uniform and putting on a suit." The head of programs at Babcock Australia & New Zealand joins host Phil Tarrant on this episode of Defence Connect Podcast to share his journey into the corporate world after 22 years in the Australian Defen...

As the Australian government's trade, investment and education promotion agency, the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) assists Australian businesses of all sizes to navigate complex overseas markets and help facilitate global export. In this episode of Defence Connect Podcast, host Phil Tarrant is joined by Roland Stephens, senior industry expert in defence, advanced manufactur...

While contracts with Defence usually provide SMEs with more consistent contracts and therefore growth opportunities, it's important to also spread services outside of Defence to ensure longevity in the field. On this episode of Defence Connect Podcast, host Phil Tarrant is joined by Warren Levin, Sydney City Marine's director of commercial and defence, to delve into his role at the vessel maintena...

According to our statistics, 725,000 unique people connected with the Defence Connect brand in 2019, demonstrating 48 per cent growth across the title. Deputy editor at Defence Connect Steve Kuper joins host Phil Tarrant on this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast to reflect on the platform's highlights over the past year. Steve and Phil discuss the development of Defence Connect's longform com...

On this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, CEO and managing director at DroneShield Oleg Vornik shares the story behind his counter-drone SME. Vornik and host Phil Tarrant discuss the history and structure of the Australian export business, the range of counter-drone solutions that can be tailored to different client needs, and why there's an emphasis on minimising collateral damage to detect...

Navantia Australia and JLB-Yaran recently signed an MOU at Pacific 2019 with the intent of creating and building long-term careers for Indigenous talent in the defence industry. On this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, host Phil Tarrant is joined by Navantia Australia's supply chain Australianisation lead Craig Williams, managing director at JLB-Yaran Brendan Dumbrell, and business developm...

The Fleet Support Unit (FSU) delivers repair and maintenance services to the Navy and provides meaningful work for sailors when they come ashore. FSU's executive director Greg Laxton CSC joins host Phil Tarrant on this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast to reflect on the key challenges faced by the organisation in 2019, outline the tools being used to measure key performance outcomes, and expl...

Fighter pilot turned poet and communications consultant, Chris Huet believes in helping people communicate with the precision of a fighter pilot and the passion of a poet. In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Huet joins host Phil Tarrant to discuss his love of language, how he is impacting communications within the defence sector, and how his time with the RAAF played a key role in his...

On this episode of Defence Connect, host Phil Tarrant is joined by the visiting chairman of BAE Systems, Sir Roger Carr, to deep dive into the Australian subsidiary's involvement in the global company's endeavours. Sir Roger provides a progress report on the development of Adelaide's Osborne Naval Shipyard, explains the significance of the Australian government's ongoing commitment to sovereign ca...

John Gretton "Jocko" Willink is a retired US Navy SEAL officer, highly rated podcast host, established author and CEO of management consulting firm, Echelon Front. On this episode of the Defence Connect podcast with host Phil Tarrant, Jocko breaks down his philosophy of extreme ownership, explaining how he applies leadership strategies from the military to improve the businesses with which he cons...

Government agency Defence SA's primary focus is to maximise investment and deliver workforce within the Australian Defence Force and defence industries. Chief executive Richard Price joins host Phil Tarrant on this episode of the Defence Connect podcast to outline the government's workforce development plan with regard to money allocated to Defence, convey the current status of the Osborne Naval S...

As the recently appointed shadow defence industry minister, a key priority for Matt Keogh in his new role is to develop Australia's sovereign capability through engagement with industry. He sits down with host Phil Tarrant at Pacific 2019 to discuss Defence's commitment to national interest above all else, what more needs to be done to support the industry moving forward, and his advice to SMEs ab...