USSC Briefing Room

This is the second in a series of three episodes this week recorded following USSC’s Indo-Pacific Strategy Simulation in November 2023. In these recordings, leading regional experts sit down with our own resident scholars to discuss Indo-Pacific security issues, trilateral cooperation between Australia, Japan and the United States, and the finer points of designing and playing a strategic simulati...

This week on the podcast, we’re bringing you the first three episodes in a series recorded following USSC’s Indo-Pacific Strategy Simulation in November 2023. In these recordings, leading regional experts sit down with our own resident scholars to discuss Indo-Pacific security issues, trilateral cooperation between Australia, Japan and the United States, and the finer points of designing and playi...

After a year of travel, conferences and meetings in the four Quad countries — Australia, India, Japan and the United States — four think tank experts from across the Indo-Pacific enter the USSC Briefing Room to discuss Quad cooperation.  What is the Quad trying to achieve? What is and isn’t working well and how can the four countries more closely and effectively cooperate on their shared vision fo...

Last week, the special counsel Robert Hur released his report with findings of his investigation into President Biden’s handling of classified documents after he left the office of vice president. While a legal vindication in that he will not be charged, it has poured petrol on the fire that is discussion on Biden’s age and whether he’s up for a second term. We dove into this topic with Washington...

Last month, world leaders gathered in Dubai for the UN Climate Change Conference – COP 28. The loss and damage agreement supporting nations impacted by climate change made headlines, but the walk back of language around fossil fuels was viewed by many as a step backwards. Was COP28 a net positive or negative? How relevant is COP anymore? Where should global efforts focus to mitigate climate change...

The first contest of the 2024 US presidential election kicked off in Iowa this week. Dedicated Republicans turned out and voiced support for Donald Trump, delivering him the majority of votes with a 30-point margin over his competition. Ron DeSantis barely beat out Nikki Hayley for the number two spot, but Hayley was the only candidate to win a precinct other than Trump. Going into the next primar...

Looking for something to read? In our ‘Book Talk’ series, our experts discuss their book projects and why you should read them. In this episode, Associate Professor David Smith talks through his research on religious persecution in the United States, the role of religion in politics, and ideas of political order, social cohesion and American identity.     Why does a country that sees religious fre...

Are you wondering what to read over the holiday period? In our ‘Book Talk’ series, our experts discuss their latest book projects and why you should read them. In this episode, USSC CEO Dr Michael J. Green sheds light on the evolution of Japan’s grand strategy.  How is Abe’s strategic approach to the Indo-Pacific reflected in Japan, Australia and the United States today? What lessons can be learne...

Taiwan does not have formal diplomatic relations with Australia and the United States, but they do have diplomatic representatives in both countries and formal or informal ties all over the world. Taiwan’s representative to Australia Douglas Hsu sat down with Research Director Jared Mondschein to discuss the state of play in Taiwan on the precipice of their upcoming presidential election. What cha...

Since the US withdrawal from TPP in 2017, Australia has remained keen to see the United States re-engage Asia on trade. The Biden administration launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) in May of 2022 to balance economic engagement in the region with a “foreign policy for the middle class” approach that prioritised increasing labor and environmental standards. Some early harvest provisi...

This is the final episode in a series of four panel discussions recorded from the United States Studies Centre’s inaugural Sydney International Strategy Forum . This episode is the “AUKUS, the Quad and the future of alliances and partnerships” panel featuring: Prof. Peter Dean – Director of Foreign Policy and Defence, United States Studies Centre Zack Cooper – Senior Fellow, American Enterprise In...

This is the third in a series of four panel discussions recorded from the United States Studies Centre’s inaugural Sydney International Strategy Forum . This episode is the “Navigating de-risking, disruption and emerging technology” panel featuring: Michaela Browning, Vice President Government and Public Policy for Asia Pacific – Google   Dr John Kunkel, Senior Economic Adviser – United States Stu...

This is the second in a series of four panel discussions recorded from the United States Studies Centre’s inaugural Sydney International Strategy Forum . This episode is the “US politics at the crossroads” panel featuring: §  Ryan Lizza, Chief Washington Correspondent – Politico   §  Olivia Nuzzi, Washington Correspondent – New York Magazine   §  Associate Professor David Smith, Professor in Ameri...

This week on the podcast, we’re bringing you a special series of recordings from the United States Studies Centre’s inaugural Sydney International Strategy Forum . These will each share one of the four panel discussions from the day. This episode is the “How far will US-China confrontation go?” panel featuring: Michele Flournoy – Co-Founder of West Exec Advisors and former US Under Secretary of De...

We are one year out from the 2024 US presidential election. If we ignore the actuarial possibilities or something that completely derails the polling reports we’re seeing, it will be a 2020 repeat of Trump v. Biden. But what are they like behind the scenes? Do their public personas match their private personas? How does this impact their 2024 campaigns?   To discuss this, we interviewed Chief Wash...

This week, co-hosts Director of Research Jared Mondschein and Research Editor Victoria Cooper discuss their latest polling report, One year from the 2024 US presidential election: The stakes for Australia and the alliance which surveyed respondents in Australia, the United States and Japan. It covers all the issues most relevant to the Australia-US alliance and regional relationships at this time....

This month has been incredibly tumultuous in US politics. We had the historic ousting of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, courtroom drama in the cases against former president Trump and war breaking out in Israel. Republican disunity appears to be near breaking point. To help make sense of the fast-moving dynamics, Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy David Smith provides a bre...

Next week, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is heading to the United States for an official visit with President Biden, including a state dinner. Two USSC experts have staffed state visits before, one on the US side and one on the Australian side – CEO Dr Michael Green  and Senior Economic Adviser Dr John Kunkel . Their inside perspectives can give us a better understanding of what goes...

AUKUS Pillar II is focused on accelerating advanced capabilities, but innovation in technology is dominated by tech companies and financed through private finance. In order advance this technology for defence new funding sources, collaboration and mindset shifts across government and industry is essential. Over 2023 USSC Director of Economic Security Hayley Channer and Senior Economic Advisor Dr J...

In this special episode, we share a recording of the panel discussion at the launch event for USSC’s new Women in the Alliance initiative. It featured Aurora Education Foundation CEO and American Australian Association Ltd in Australia Chair Leila Smith , Representative for Lindsay Melissa McIntosh MP and ABC journalist and broadcaster Geraldine Doogue in conversation with Research Editor Victoria...

USSC CEO Dr Michael Green was working for the White House National Security Council during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. He describes the chaos of the evacuation and the significant changes for US alliances with Australia and others across the globe in the wake of the attack.   What was the atmosphere in the White House when they heard the news? What changed after 9/11? What did thi...

The Foreign Policy and Defence team co-host the deterrence dialogue with the Pacific Forum. This year was the first year back in DC since COVID. Defence representatives from both the United States and Australia were there and Ambassador Kevin Rudd presented a keynote address. What are the areas of alignment and difference between the US and Australia? What issues rose to the fore? What changed as...

As the US 2024 GOP presidential hopefuls prepare for the first debate, USSC Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy David Smith and Research Editor Victoria Cooper spoke with Research Director Jared Mondschein to give a breakdown on the candidates and the odds of anyone besting former president Trump.   What happened to Ron DeSantis? Will the legal challenges to Trump derail hi...

With the Australia-US Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) and the joint Talisman Sabre exercise between Australian and US defence forces now officially wrapped up, USSC Director of Foreign Policy and Defence Professor Peter Dean and Research Fellow in the program Blake Herzinger give a deep-dive on all the latest developments in the maritime security space.     Why are submarines getting so much at...

United States Studies Centre Senior Lecturer in US Politics and Foreign Policy Dr Gorana Grgic attended the NATO Vilnius Summit at the end of her sabbatical in Europe. At the summit this year, Ukraine was once again the main focus. Will Ukraine be given a timeline to enter NATO and what conditions do they need to meet? What is NATO going to do about Russia’s invasion which has brought war to Europ...