Defence & Security Podcast Network

This week on Cyber Uncut, Liam Garman and Daniel Croft unpack the week's cyber and AI news, while David Hollingworth reports from Zero Trust World 2026 in Florida! Garman and Croft kick off the podcast with news of ChatGPT shedding a raft of users since it announced it would sign up with the Pentagon after rival AI giant Anthropic backed down over fears its AI would be used without adequate guardr...

From commercial pilot to maritime leader, Georgia Davey's "roller-coaster" career is a masterclass in adaptability. In this episode, the NORSTA Maritime program manager joins Tash Taylor to discuss her journey from the skies of northern Australia to managing maintenance for naval vessels. Georgia shares the unique challenges of defence construction and maritime logistics, offering a candid look at...

In this special "Iran conflict" episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Stephen Kuper is joined by Robert Dougherty and Bethany Alvaro to unpack major developments surrounding the escalating battle between the forces of Iran, the United States and Israel. The discussion begins with an overview of the lead-up to the conflict, proxy activity across the Middle East, then implications for regional and...

In this episode of the Defence Connect Spotlight podcast, host Stephen Kuper is joined by James Rabey, principal consultant at Macquarie Government, to explore how AUKUS and broader Defence reforms are reshaping security requirements across Australia's defence industry supply chain. As part of this in-depth conversation, the pair discuss a range of subjects, including the following: How AUKUS and...

This week on Cyber Uncut, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft unpack the week's cyber and AI news and entertain a special guest to boot! The pair kick off the podcast discussing Qantas facing a backlash over a series of job cuts that may be informed by the company embracing AI, while WiseTech's announcement of 2,000 job cuts definitely is driven by AI uptake. The pair also talk about CrowdStrike's...

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, senior journalist Robert Dougherty is joined by Trevor Fortner, a former US Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal specialist, Blackwater PMC contractor and current EverydaySpy consultant. Fortner has formerly served as a US Navy EOD master training specialist and operated alongside Tier 1 units, including SEAL Team Six and Delta Force. He previously led B...

In this episode of the Contested Ground Podcast, hosts Steve Kuper and Liam Garman speak with Agsecure's Andrew Henderson as they unpack the recently released US food security strategy. The trio unpack the details underpinning the pivot in American thinking resulting in the development of the food security strategy. They also discuss the key priorities and focus areas identified in the food securi...

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, host Bethany Alvaro is joined by Graeme Bulte, founder and chief executive officer of Aquaterro, as they discuss developments in next-generation small arms and the company's growing role across defence and law enforcement capability. The pair discuss Aquaterro's collaborations with global partners as well as emerging technology in hybrid ammunition,...

This week on Cyber Uncut, David Hollingworth and Bethany Alvaro talk about how Australia is lagging in AI adoption, the grey areas of facial recognition and surveillance, the alarming youX data breach, and Hollingworth's visit to Montreal to chat about physical security with Genetec. The pair kick off with news from Deloitte regarding an alarming slowdown in AI adoption across Australian enterpris...

How does a law student's "gap year" in recruitment turn into a 17-year career leading operations in the defence sector? In this episode, Amelia De Angelis, chief operating officer of Kinexus, shares her journey from industry outsider to co-founding The Future Through Collaboration, a program that has mentored over 600 women. Amelia discusses the importance of "embracing your awkward self" and why...

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Stephen Kuper is joined by Robert Dougherty and Bethany Alvaro to unpack major developments in defence innovation, autonomous air combat and shifting alliance dynamics. The discussion begins with the federal government's proposed $500 million co-investment fund aimed at accelerating defence technologies, including artificial intelligence, cyber secur...

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, senior journalist Robert Dougherty is joined by journalist Bethany Alvaro to unpack a week spanning government conflict of interest concerns, Defence space capability updates and anti-Israel protests in Sydney. The discussion opens on the scrutiny surrounding Paul Brereton, commissioner of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, and questions over t...

This week on Cyber Uncut, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft discuss more trouble for Elon Musk's AI empire, the rise of a very active new ransomware group that may not be what it seems, and an alarming discovery while investigating the latest tranche of Jeffrey Epstein documents. The pair kick off with news that French police have raided the offices of X, while Aussie activists call on app store...

In this episode of The Progress Report, Tash Taylor sits down with Gabby Costigan, a powerhouse leader in the global defence sector and a pioneer for women in STEM. From her early days in the Australian Defence Force to becoming the first female CEO of BAE Systems Australia, Gabby's journey is a masterclass in resilience, career pivoting and leading with purpose. Beyond the boardroom, Gabby discus...

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Stephen Kuper is joined by Robert Dougherty and Bethany Alvaro to unpack recent news of Australian industry developments, humanitarian assistance, US domestic unrest and the shifting foundations of global power. The discussion opens with Australian defence industry news, including Ferra Engineering's latest agreement with Boeing to support delivery o...

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Steve Kuper and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson are joined by Dr Malcolm Davis, Australian Strategic Policy Institute defence strategy and capability senior analyst, to unpack the strategic shockwaves emerging from the United States' 2026 National Defense Strategy. The trio examine what Washington's shift towards an offshore balancing postu...

This week on Cyber Uncut, David Hollingworth and Bethany Alvaro discuss the murky world of employee data theft, look at a pair of ransomware attacks – one local, one a touch further afield – and take a look at the new cyber security strategy announced by the NSW government. The podcast opens with research that suggests the new year, and January in particular, is a prime time for employees to make...

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, the entire team of Stephen Kuper, Robert Dougherty and Bethany Alvaro examines current news surrounding Australia's changing strategic environment: from diplomacy and armoured warfare to intelligence capability to the future of the rules-based global order. The episode opens with the appointment of Greg Moriarty as Australia's next ambassador to the...

In this episode of the Contested Ground Podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson, and Steve Kuper discuss the fallout from the US' arrest of Nicolas Maduro, America's claims to Greenland, and the potential for regime change in Iran. The trio unpack the success and complexities of the US' raid in Venezuela and the intricacies surrounding the mission, the fallout of the...

In this episode of the Defence Connect Spotlight podcast, host Robert Dougherty is joined by Petar Bielovich, general manager of data and analytics at Atturra, to discuss the evolving role of preparedness, decision intelligence, and sovereign capability within Australia's national security strategy. As part of this in-depth conversation, the pair discuss a range of subjects, including: The growing...

This week on Cyber Uncut, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft are still talking about Grok's nudity woes, OpenAI's turn to ads, the potential compromise of a major rack hardware maker, and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner's calls for more government transparency. The pair kick things off once again with Grok and its struggles in producing sexual abuse material and OpenAI's mov...

Imagine being told at the start of your aviation career that women simply don't fly jets. Decades later, Sue-anne Munckton is the CEO of the Civil Aviation Academy Australasia and director/founder of Sky Careers and a powerhouse advocate for Australia's aviation future. In this episode, Tash Taylor sits down with the recent Australian Aviation Awards Excellence Award winner to discuss her 35-year...

In this episode of the Contested Ground Podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson, and Steve Kuper discuss the Australian government's legislative efforts to combat anti-Semitism, hatred, and violent extremism in Australia. The trio unpack the legislative proposal and political considerations that have shaped the Albanese government's Combating Anti-Semitism, Hate and E...

This week, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft are joined by HR Leader's Carlos Tse to talk about AI in the workplace. We chat about Grok's ongoing issues with sexually abusive content, the Pentagon's move to embrace the platform regardless, and a hack that has compromised the data of every school in Victoria. The podcast kicks off with a discussion on a new partnership between the Australian Coun...

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, host Robert Dougherty is joined by Cesar Alvarez, lecturer at Charles Sturt University on terrorism and security studies, to unpack the security, geopolitical and cartel criminal dynamics surrounding recent US military operations in Venezuela. Alvarez worked for Canberra-based national security think tank Australian Strategic Policy Institute and pro...