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Stop the World
Stop the WorldBondi terror attack: ASPI experts discuss antisemitism and national security lessonsThe Bondi massacre of Jews celebrating the first night of Hanukkah on Sunday was the worst terrorist attack Australia has suffered on home soil and its first mass shooting in nearly three decades. With 15 innocent people murdered, Australia’s Jewish community is in deep mourning, while the nation and the world have been jolted into a stark conversation about antisemitism.In the final Stop the World episode for 2025, David Wroe speaks with John Coyne, Director of ASPI’s National Security Program and Chris Taylor, Head of ASPI’s Statecraft and Intelligence Policy Centre about the shockwaves the attack...
2025-12-1854 minStop the World
Stop the WorldTSD Summit Sessions: Selina Xu on China’s AI strategy and capabilitiesToday we continue the AI theme with a TSD Summit Sessions conversation on China and AI with Selina Xu, who leads China and AI research and strategic initiatives in the Office of Eric Schmidt. Who is winning the AI race between the US and China? Are they focusing on the same things? Where do China’s capabilities stand today? How is AI being adopted and integrated into economies? What are the benefits of China’s open-source approach? Where does the US maintain a strategic advantage?  These are just some of the questio...
2025-12-1136 minStop the World
Stop the WorldTSD Summit Sessions: Roman Yampolskiy on AI safety and risksIn the first Summit Sessions interview post-Sydney Dialogue, David Wroe speaks with leading global AI safety expert, Dr Roman Yampolskiy. Roman is founding director of the Cyber Security Lab at the University of Louisville, and author of many books including “AI: Unexplainable, Unpredictable, Uncontrollable”.This week, ASPI convened the fourth Sydney Dialogue summit on critical technologies and security, and AI featured heavily across the two days. So we’re bringing some of that discussion to the pod this week. The conversation covers many aspects of AI safety and risks, including the issue of control, and whether we should...
2025-12-0928 minStop the World
Stop the WorldAnduril CEO Brian Schimpf on how to make defence faster, cheaper and betterThe Sydney Dialogue (TSD) is just weeks away! If you haven't yet registered, head on over and do so now: https://tsd.aspi.org.au/enquire In the second episode of TSD Summit Sessions, David Wroe speaks to Anduril co-founder and CEO Brian Schimpf. This is an episode for our defence wonks - Brian talks about the need to build capabilities quickly, affordably and in ways that mean it can be built using a country's existing industrial capacity for years to come. He also talks about deterrence, using Ukraine and Taiwan as real time examples, and the n...
2025-11-0748 minStop the World
Stop the WorldSuperintelligence and human security, with Dan HendrycksLast month, some of the world’s leading artificial intelligence experts signed a petition calling for a prohibition on developing superintelligent AI until it is safe. One of those experts was Dan Hendrycks, director for the Center for AI Safety and an adviser to Elon Musk’s xAI and leading firm Scale AI. Dan has led original and thought-provoking research including into the risk of rogue AIs escaping human control, the deliberate misuse of the technology by malign actors, and the emergence of dangerous strategic dynamics if one nation creates superintelligence, prompting fears among rival nations. In...
2025-11-0355 minStop the World
Stop the WorldGeneral (Ret) Charles Flynn on land power, deterrence and technology in the Indo-PacificThe Indo-Pacific is a strategic theatre named after two oceans, but according to retired US four-star general Charles Flynn, land forces would be crucial in any conflict, including over Taiwan. In today’s episode, David Wroe speaks with Charles, who retired last year as commanding general of the US Army Pacific, about the often misunderstood and overlooked importance of land power. They consider scenarios including a Chinese full-scale invasion of Taiwan and the crucial hard power that only armies could deliver in such a conflict. Charles, who is also a senior advisor at Palantir explains the...
2025-09-1846 minStop the World
Stop the WorldThe security of the stack: how hyperscale clouds, cables and data centres are becoming major strategic issues. With ASPI’s Jocelinn Kang.In this special episode, ASPI's Resident Technical Specialist, Jocelinn Kang, talks through hyperscale cloud and why it’s increasingly important for countries to get their policies right depending on their strategic circumstances. All countries want to protect their citizens’ data and have some sovereign computing capabilities, but what if your data centres are attacked? What if the undersea cables connecting you to the world are cut?Is there a sweet spot between building at home and outsourcing to the hyperscale firms—the big tech firms such as Microsoft, Google, AWS, Meta and Oracle? What does it mean for a...
2025-08-0532 minStop the World
Stop the WorldChina military scholar Elsa Kania on the PLA’s dramatic modernisationToday we speak with China military scholar Elsa B. Kania about China’s military modernisation. How good is the People’s Liberation Army? Where has it progressed? Where is it still deficient? And the big ones: can it match the US and how ready is it to take Taiwan by force if Xi Jinping gives the order?Much of Elsa’s recent work has focussed on the role of technology in the PLA’s capabilities, doctrine and command structure. She talks about the role of artificial intelligence, the concepts of informatisation and intelligentisation, and the Chinese view of the e...
2025-08-0150 minStop the World
Stop the WorldBethany Allen explains her investigation into a British university’s joint venture campus in ChinaBethany Allen explains her investigation into a British university’s joint venture campus in China and the risks of critical tech collaboration. Recently an ASPI team led by our head of China investigations and analysis Bethany Allen published a report on a joint venture university campus between Xi’an Jiaotong University in China and Liverpool University in Britain. Their findings raise serious questions about research collaboration into sensitive technologies, including those with military applications.  In today’s episode, Bethany talks through the findings, including the joint university’s partnerships and close links with...
2025-07-1935 minStop the World
Stop the WorldHow much should we let Trump be Trump? Justin Bassi and David Wroe discuss Iran and the NATO summitDonald Trump’s calculated gamble in bombing Iran’s key nuclear facilities sparked a series of extraordinary outbursts this week from the US administration amid conflicting assessments of the damage that the US strikes did to the regime’s nuclear program. Trump meanwhile was feted in a downright theatrical fashion in the Hague as NATO leaders gathered to agree on defence spending increases. David Wroe and ASPI executive director Justin Bassi discuss these developments with a view to how policymakers including allied leaders might approach dealing with Trump. When might the best course of action be to r...
2025-06-2726 minStop the World
Stop the WorldThe Philippines’ General Emmanuel Bautista on standing together against Chinese assertivenessPlease note, this episode was filmed as a video interview and is available on ASPI's Youtube channel here: https://youtu.be/sg32zmJKk70In today’s episode of Stop the World, we hear from Emmanuel Bautista, a retired Philippines general who served as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces in 2013 and 2014 and who spoke at ASPI’s recent defence conference on preparedness and resilience. General Bautista gives his frank views on the Philippines efforts to stand firm against China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea, the opportunities for deeper defence cooperation between the Philip...
2025-06-2724 minStop the World
Stop the WorldPapua New Guinea Defence Minister Billy Joseph on the march towards a security treatyPlease note, this episode was filmed as a video interview and is available on ASPI's YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/z3V_t8znuIMOn 4 June, ASPI was pleased to host Hon Dr Billy Joseph MP in Canberra for our 2025 Defence Conference 'Preparedness and Resilience.'Dr Joseph is Papua New Guinea's Minister for Defence, and the Deputy Party Leader of the Social Democratic Party. Following his impactful speech on Pacific security and the Australia-Papua New Guinea relationship, the Minister sat down with David Wroe to discuss the Australia-Papua New Guinea defence t...
2025-06-1816 minStop the World
Stop the WorldDonald Trump's foreign policy is performance art. With Kori SchakePlease note, this episode was filmed as a video interview and is available on ASPI's Youtube channel here: https://youtu.be/XvR4P2PpmokThis week ASPI was delighted to host Dr Kori Schake in Canberra for our 2025 Defence Conference ‘Preparedness and Resilience’.Kori is a senior fellow and director of foreign and defence policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute. She’s held roles in the State Department, the Pentagon and the National Security Council, served as an adviser to the legendary Senator John McCain and written five books with another on the way.W...
2025-06-0626 minStop the World
Stop the WorldASPI's Justin Bassi on the latest 'Cost of Defence' reportASPI this week released our annual Cost of Defence report, which assesses how Australia’s investment in defence matches the strategic challenges the nation faces.  In this special episode, ASPI’s executive director Justin Bassi runs through some of the key points of the report: how much we need to be spending, how fast, and on which capabilities. The strategic environment in which 2 percent of GDP was normalised as a benchmark is long behind us, Justin says. A “business‑as‑usual approach” is no longer enough.Find ASPI's latest Cost of Defence rep...
2025-05-3021 minStop the World
Stop the WorldWhat satellites reveal about the clash over Kashmir, with Nathan RuserASPI’s geospatial analyst Nathan Ruser reveals what he’s found by studying satellite imagery of the recent India-Pakistan clashes over Kashmir, in a special episode of Stop the World. This includes the use of images for disinformation in ways he hasn’t seen before in his years of poring over satellite pictures.Alongside the military clashes, the Indian and Pakistani governments, and their respective supporters, have been battling in the information domain, a typical pattern that is becoming ever more competitive with new technology, especially generative artificial intelligence.Nathan’s globally recognised skills as a geospa...
2025-05-1424 minStop the World
Stop the WorldSpecial episode: Will India and Pakistan go nuclear? With Raji RajagopalanAfter Pakistan-based militants murdered more than two dozen Indian tourists in Pahalgam in Kashmir, India retaliated by striking nine sites it says housed “terrorist infrastructure”. Pakistan in turn says it shot down several Indian fighter planes. In this special snap episode, ASPI Resident Senior Fellow Raji Pillai Rajagopalan gives us her insights on whether the two nuclear armed arch rivals will bring the crisis temperature down and avoid the ultimate nightmare—escalation that goes nuclear. Mentioned in this episode: India and Pakistan must manage escalation after Pahalgam attack, by Raji Rajagopalan: https://w...
2025-05-0817 minStop the World
Stop the WorldStatus update: Responsible state behaviour in cyberspace2025 is a pivotal year for international cyber governance. Not only is it the tenth anniversary of the international community’s agreement to a global framework for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, but it is also the year that the UN Open-Ended Working Group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies will conclude its mandate. This sets the stage for the establishment of a more permanent mechanism for global cyber discussions.To discuss these developments and reflect on how states around the world have interpreted and operationalised responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, ASPI’s Gat...
2025-02-2852 minStop the World
Stop the WorldWhy Ukraine matters to the Indo-PacificToday on Stop the World, the conversation on Ukraine continues, with ASPI’s Alex Bristow speaking to Jakub Zajączkowski and Saroj Kumar Aryal from the University of Warsaw. They discuss the EU and US approaches to peace in Ukraine, the security guarantees Ukraine needs, and the links between the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic, including through NATO and the Indo-Pacific Four.They discuss Poland’s increased interest in the Indo-Pacific, the value of minilaterals such as the Quad, and India’s relationships with Russia, Europe and Quad countries.Guests:  Alex Bristow  Jakub...
2025-02-2123 minStop the World
Stop the WorldA new world order? Ukraine’s Ambassador on Russia, the United States and EuropeIn this special episode of Stop the World, ASPI’s David Wroe speaks with Ukraine’s Ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, on the morning after US and Russian representatives met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Ambassador responds to the blizzard of recent developments affecting the prospect of a peace agreement to end Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression against its democratic neighbour as we approach the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion. He talks about signs of a turning point in the world order, Ukraine’s hopes of joining NATO, recent remarks from the Trump administr...
2025-02-1933 minStop the World
Stop the WorldIt’s all about economic security with the EU’s Maria Martin-PratThis week on Stop the World, we were pleased to host EU Deputy Director-General for Trade and Economic Security, Maria Martin-Prat. Interviewed by ASPI’s David Wroe, they discuss how the EU is managing economic security, Australia and Lithuania’s experience of economic coercion by China and, of course, the latest developments in tariffs.  This episode was recorded on 11 February, 2025.
2025-02-1720 minStop the World
Stop the WorldStop the World is back with a pod on the QuadStop 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.     Gues...
2025-02-0741 minStop the World
Stop the WorldStop the World: Building cyber resilience with Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinnessIn 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 tha...
2024-12-1633 minStop the World
Stop the WorldStrategic shifts with Thijs van der Plas, Anita Nergaard and Scott M. OudkirkIn the latest episode of Stop the World, ASPI’s Executive Director Justin Bassi is joined by Netherlands Ambassador to NATO Thijs van der Plas, Norway’s Ambassador to NATO Anita Nergaard and the US Chargé d'affaires to NATO Scott M. Oudkirk.  Since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, NATO has undergone a strategic shift with increased collective defence spending and the expansion of the alliance to include Finland and Sweden. This conversation explores NATO’s recent evolution and how Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine contributed to it.  Justin, Thijs, Anita and Scott also discuss the c...
2024-12-0644 minStop the World
Stop the WorldArtificial intimacy, persuasive technologies, and how bots can manipulate usToday 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 abou...
2024-11-2934 minStop the World
Stop the WorldUrban warfare in Ukraine and Gaza with John SpencerIn 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 Bri...
2024-11-2722 minStop the World
Stop the WorldTSD Summit Sessions: The Climate Crisis with Anote Tong 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...
2024-11-2228 minStop the World
Stop the WorldUK defence strategy, AUKUS and deterrence with General Sir Jim HockenhullIn 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...
2024-11-1228 minStop the World
Stop the WorldTSD Summit Sessions: Diversity and national security with Arfiya EriIn 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 sessio...
2024-11-0121 minStop the World
Stop the WorldTSD Summit Sessions: Quantum, semiconductors and security with Dr Pete ShadboltThis episode of Stop the World is a deep dive into quantum computing with Dr Pete Shadbolt, Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at PsiQuantum, and Alex Capri, Research Fellow at the Hinrich Foundation.  The conversation provides a breakdown of quantum computing and explores the challenges and profound opportunities that the technology could bring. Alex and Pete discuss how quantum computing can be applied in a practical sense, from biotech to the battlefield, and they examine the potential security implications of the technology and how we can ensure it is used for good.  
2024-10-1836 minStop the World
Stop the WorldTSD Summit Sessions: Cyber security and tech diplomacy with Jennifer BachusIt’s a double episode week on Stop the World, and today we bring you a conversation with Jennifer Bachus, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy at the US Department of State. ASPI’s Bart Hogeveen speaks to Jennifer about cyber security and tech diplomacy, and how the US Government is working to improve cyber resilience at home and supporting partners globally to do the same.     They discuss threats such as ransomware and cybercrimes and recent developments including the draft UN convention against cybercrime, and the US-led global Counter Ransom...
2024-10-0437 minStop the World
Stop the WorldTSD Summit Sessions: ASEAN, regional stability and disruptive tech with Dato’ Astanah Abdul AzizIn the latest video edition of The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions, Bethany Allen, Head of China Investigations and Analysis at ASPI, speaks with Her Excellency Dato’ Astanah Abdul Aziz, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Political-Security Community. They discuss Dato’s career path and how her time as a diplomat within Malaysia’s foreign ministry led to her current role with ASEAN. They also explore the role of ASEAN and the value that it brings to the region – not just economic value but also in building relationships. With growing tensions in the South China Sea, Bet...
2024-10-0122 minStop the World
Stop the WorldTSD Summit Sessions: Intelligence and evolving technology with Michael Rogers and Jason HealeyIn the third video edition of The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions, Jason Healey, Senior Research Scholar at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, sits down with Admiral Michael Rogers (Ret’d), Senior Advisor at Trusted Future, to discuss all things intelligence. Jason was a founding member of both the Office of the National Cyber Director at the White House and the first cyber command in the world, the Joint Task Force for Computer Network Defense, while Michael is a former Commander of the US Cyber Command and Director of the US National Security Agen...
2024-09-2642 minStop the World
Stop the WorldMultilateralism, UN reform and the WDSN with Lisa SharlandIn the latest episode of Stop the World, Olivia Nelson sits down with Lisa Sharland, Senior Fellow and Director of the Protecting Civilians and Human Security program at the Stimson Centre. The conversation, which was recorded in July, discusses the United Nations (UN) and how the multilateral system is adapting - or struggling to adapt - to rapid global change. They also discuss the UN’s Summit of the Future which aims to find international consensus on pressing global issues.  The conversation also covers peacekeeping and Australia’s role in it, the challenges that women...
2024-09-2032 minStop the World
Stop the WorldStop the World: TSD Summit Sessions: Strengthening peace and stability with Baiba Braže In the second video edition of The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions, ASPI’s Executive Director Justin Bassi sits down with Latvia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Baiba Braže. Justin and Baiba discuss the partnership between the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific, and how democracies can work together to strengthen regional and global stability. They also discuss Russia and China’s “no-limits partnership”, how Beijing is enabling Russia’s war on Ukraine through the provision of technological supplies, and what countries like Australia and Latvia can do to maintain the rules-based international order. Minister Braže was a panellist at The Sydney Dia...
2024-09-1220 minStop the World
Stop the WorldStop the World: TSD Summit Sessions: Artificial intelligence and catastrophic risk with Connor LeahyIn the first video edition of The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions, David Wroe sits down with Connor Leahy, co-founder and CEO of Conjecture AI. David and Connor speak about the catastrophic risks that a powerful but uncontrolled and unaligned artificial superintelligence could pose to humanity, and Conjecture’s approach to safe AI called “cognitive emulation”. They also discuss what it means for an intelligent agent to have goals, and the likelihood that the current dominant AI approach of large language models can continue to be scaled up with more computing power. Connor was a panellist at ASPI’s Sydney...
2024-09-1139 minStop the World
Stop the WorldTSD Summit Sessions: How to navigate the deep fake and disinformation minefield with Nina JankowiczThe Sydney Dialogue is over, but never fear, we have more TSD content coming your way! This week, ASPI’s David Wroe speaks to Nina Jankowicz, global disinformation expert and author of the books How to Lose the Information War and How to Be a Woman Online. Nina takes us through the trends she is seeing in disinformation across the globe, and offers an assessment of who does it best, and whether countries like China and Iran are learning from Russia. She also discusses the links between disinformation and political polarisation, and what governments can do to pr...
2024-09-0632 minStop the World
Stop the WorldTSD Summit Sessions: Defence, intelligence and technology with Shashank JoshiIn the final lead-in episode to the Sydney Dialogue (but not the last in the series!), ASPI’s Executive Director, Justin Bassi, interviews Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor at the Economist. They discuss technology, security and strategic competition, including the impact of artificial intelligence on defence and intelligence operations, the implications of the no-limits partnership between Russia and China and increasing alignment between authoritarian states. They also cover the challenge of protecting free speech online within a framework of rules which also protects public safety. They talk about Shashank’s latest Economist report ‘Spycraft: Watching the Watcher...
2024-08-301h 01Stop the World
Stop the WorldTSD Summit Sessions: Artificial intelligence and the value of data with Jennifer Zhu ScottIn today’s episode of The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions, Alex Caples speaks to Jennifer Zhu Scott, globally recognised AI expert and Founding Partner of IN. Capital, about artificial intelligence and the changing value of data. They discuss how rapid tech advancements have seen debates about how to keep governments out of cyberspace and technology turn into calls for governments to step in to regulate the online world. As part of this, they explore the value of personal data, which is no longer limited to debates about privacy but about who owns the data and who can pr...
2024-08-2340 minStop the World
Stop the WorldArbitrary detention on the rise and freedom of press on the decline with Peter Greste and Kylie Moore-GilbertToday we have a double episode special on arbitrary detention and the decline of press freedoms, with two people who have been wrongfully detained. David Wroe speaks to distinguished journalist and author Peter Greste, about his experience of detention in Egypt, how governments should respond to the use of arbitrary detention, and his take on the recent prisoner swap between the US, Russia and other countries which saw the return of the Wall Street Journal’s Evan Gershkovich to the United States. Tasfia Zeba from the ASPI DC office speaks to Kylie Moore-Gilbert, academic, writer an...
2024-08-1638 minStop the World
Stop the WorldTSD Summit Sessions: Economic security with Abigaël VasselierIn the next episode of The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions, it’s all about economic security. ASPI’s Executive Director, Justin Bassi, interviews Abigaël Vasselier, head of the Foreign Relations team at the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) in Berlin. They discuss – and debate – how the EU and individual member states have responded to Russia’s war on Ukraine, Beijing’s use of economic power to coerce and the increasing alignment and cooperation between Beijing and Moscow. They also talk about critical technologies and supply chain vulnerabilities; and how Beijing has taken advanta...
2024-08-1453 minStop the World
Stop the WorldTSD Summit Sessions: Technology innovation and investment with Gilman LouieThe Sydney Dialogue (TSD) is just weeks away. To help our listeners prepare for the forthcoming discussions at TSD, we are bringing you an interview with Gilman Louie, who was the first CEO of In-Q-Tel— set up in 1999 by the CIA as an independent, not-for-profit strategic investment firm —and Commissioner on the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence from 2018-2021. Gilman is co-founder and partner at Alsop Louie Partners, and he is also a co-founder and CEO of the America’s Frontier Fund, so there is no one better placed to talk about strategic competition, innovation and invest...
2024-08-0941 minStop the World
Stop the WorldExplainer: A quick dive into subsea cables with Jocelinn Kang and Jessie JacobSubsea cables have been a major focus in the media lately. Just last week at the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Tokyo, Australia announced the launch of its new Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre—its contribution to the Quad Leaders’ Partnership for Cable Connectivity and Resilience. So, what are subsea or undersea cables and why are they important? In this short explainer, Olivia Nelson speaks with ASPI experts Jocelinn Kang and Jessie Jacob about this vital strategic asset, where their vulnerabilities lie, and their role in Australia’s resilience. Guests: Olivia Ne...
2024-08-0609 minStop the World
Stop the WorldUnderstanding AUSMIN, with Kim Beazley and Marise PayneAUSMIN (Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations) – what is it, how did it come about and why is it important? Ahead of next week’s meeting on 6 August in the United States between Australia’s Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence and the US Secretaries of State and Defense, this week’s episode of Stop the World is a special explainer. ASPI’s own former AUSMIN attendees, Executive Director, Justin Bassi, and Director of Strategic Communications, David Wroe, reminisce about the annual AUSMIN meeting, its Cold War history and its ongoing significance for the Australia-US relationship, how it has evo...
2024-08-0231 minStop the World
Stop the WorldTSD Summit Sessions: Countering hybrid threats with NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General James AppathuraiThe countdown to the Sydney Dialogue (TSD) is on!   In the second episode of ASPI’s TSD Summit Sessions, Justin Bassi, Executive Director of ASPI, speaks to James Appathurai, NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Innovation, Hybrid and Cyber on all things tech, innovation, security and democracy.     Justin and James discuss hybrid threats in the context of challenges in Europe and the Indo-Pacific, and how democracies in both regions need to work together to prevent and respond to these increasing activities. They explore the impact of technological innovation on security, the rise...
2024-07-1949 minStop the World
Stop the WorldThe Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions: Australia’s Cyber and Critical Technologies Ambassador Brendan DowlingThe Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions are back!   Today on Stop the World, we are relaunching our special series – The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions. To kick off the series, Alex Caples, Director of ASPI’s Sydney Dialogue, speaks to Brendan Dowling, Australia’s Cyber Affairs and Critical Technologies Ambassador.   This conversation covers all things cyber and offers a preview of some of the topics to be explored in Sydney in September. Alex and Brendan discuss the importance of security by design, regional security and the cybersecurity threats our region is facing, and the opportunities the digital transition p...
2024-07-1220 minStop the World
Stop the WorldPeace on Ukraine’s terms, with Minister Bill ShortenIn a special episode of Stop the World, ASPI’s Executive Director, Justin Bassi, speaks with Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme and former leader of the Labor Party, Bill Shorten, about his recent attendance as Australia’s representative to Switzerland’s Summit on Peace in Ukraine. The Minister outlined why what happens in Ukraine matters to Australia and our region, and how it will be important for countries to not only support Ukraine during the conflict, but also with its recovery and reconstruction post-war. They also discuss the impact of the war on peo...
2024-07-0921 minStop the World
Stop the WorldAUKUS, industry and public support with Sophia Gaston and Eric ChewningIn this episode of Stop the World, we bring you the final interview from our special series recorded from the sidelines of the ASPI Defence Conference ‘JoiningFORCES’. And today it’s all about AUKUS. ASPI's Director of The Sydney Dialogue, Dr. Alex Caples, is joined by Sophia Gaston, Head of Foreign Policy at Policy Exchange, and Eric Chewning, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Development at HII. Alex, Sophia and Eric reflect on the progress that has been made on AUKUS, the role of industry in ensuring AUKUS succeeds, and the ongoing challenges such as workfo...
2024-07-0527 minStop the World
Stop the WorldJapan’s security, partnerships and regional strategic outlook with Narushige MichishitaIn this episode of Stop the World, we bring you the penultimate episode in our special series recorded from the sidelines of the ASPI Defence Conference ‘JoiningFORCES’. This interview is all about Japan and regional security. Dr Euan Graham, Senior ASPI Analyst speaks with Narushige Michishita, professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo and Japan Scholar with the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Asia Program. The conversation covers Japan’s perspective on the strategic outlook in the Indo-Pacific, the role of the US-Japan alliance and the evolution of the Australia-Japan relation...
2024-07-0225 minStop the World
Stop the WorldRussia, North Korea and nuclear threats with Bee Yun Jo and Peter TeschThis week on Stop the World, we bring you the second episode in our special series recorded from the sidelines of the ASPI Defence Conference ‘JoiningFORCES’. In this episode, the conversation is all about North Korea, Russia, China and nuclear threats. Alex Bristow speaks to former Australian diplomat and defence official, Peter Tesch, and Dr Bee Yun Jo, Associate Research Fellow at the Center for Security and Strategy at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses. They consider the increased alignment and cooperation between Russia and China, and between Russia and North Korea as seen thro...
2024-06-2732 minStop the World
Stop the WorldDefence innovation and investment with Heather Richman and Linda LourieThis week on Stop the World, we bring you a special episode from the sidelines of the ASPI Defence Conference ‘JoiningFORCES’. In this first episode of a short series, ASPI’s Director of Defence Strategy and National Security, Bec Shrimpton, speaks to defence innovation and investment experts Heather Richman and Linda Lourie. They discuss defence innovation and opportunities for the government to work with the private sector to achieve national security outcomes. They also consider how the investment landscape has changed in the United States, including increased willingness from entrepreneurs to invest in national security.
2024-06-2131 minStop the World
Stop the WorldSecuring democracy: countering disinformation in 2024This week’s episode of Stop the World comes to you from Brussels, where ASPI’s Executive Director Justin Bassi interviewed the Head of Strategic Communications at the European External Action Service Lutz Güllner. The conversation explored disinformation, foreign influence, manipulation and interference, with Justin and Lutz discussing the importance of countering state backed disinformation and foreign influence campaigns, how these tactics can affect the resilience of open societies, and what can be done to deter them. With elections due to take place in the European Union (EU), the United States and the United Kingd...
2024-05-2431 minStop the World
Stop the WorldEU security and strategic stability in the Indo-PacificThis week on Stop the World, ASPI Senior Analyst Alex Bristow speaks to Niclas Kvarnström, Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific at the European External Action Service, to discuss the European Union’s engagement in and relationship with the Indo-Pacific. With war in Europe and conflict in the Middle East, they discuss how much capacity the European Union (EU) has to focus on the Indo-Pacific, how Russia’s war on Ukraine has forced a rethink of the EU’s future security, as well as its relationship with China. And in the episode’s second se...
2024-05-1741 minStop the World
Stop the WorldDefence innovation and the pathway to Pillar 2 successThis double episode of Stop the World is all about defence innovation. ASPI’s Director of Defence Strategy and National Security Bec Shrimpton speaks to Anduril’s Vice President of Strategy for Australia and the Asia Pacific Pete Quinn, the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive at Anduril Australia and Asia Pacific David Goodrich, as well as ASPI Visiting Senior Fellow Keirin Joyce. They discuss the importance of autonomous systems, what role they can play in the Australian Defence Force, and how they can be used to help deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific. Later in t...
2024-05-1056 minStop the World
Stop the WorldWhy auld acquaintance should ne’er be forgotAustralia and the United Kingdom have a lot of shared history and values, but not a lot of shared geography. For a long time, that left the strategic relationship feeling a little dusty—a friendship to be taken for granted. But the two countries’ security partnership has a sense of deepening urgency, with the creation of AUKUS, the UK’s Indo-Pacific tilt and the recent signing of a new defence and security cooperation agreement. With Russia’s war against Ukraine and Chinese regional assertiveness, Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security are increasingly seen as tied. To unpack these developments, ASPI’s S...
2024-05-0351 minStop the World
Stop the WorldMapping China's data harvesting and global propaganda effortsASPI has released a groundbreaking report that finds the Chinese Communist Party seeks to harvest user data from globally popular Chinese apps, games and online platforms in a likely effort to improve its global propaganda. The research maps the CCP's propaganda system, highlighting the links between the Central Propaganda Department, state-owned or controlled propaganda entities and data-collection activities, and technology investments in Chinese companies.   In this special short episode of Stop the World, David Wroe speaks with ASPI analyst Daria Impiombato about the key takeaways from this major piece of r...
2024-05-0209 minStop the World
Stop the WorldThe future of intelligenceThis week on Stop the World, it’s all about intelligence. Chris Taylor, head of ASPI’s Statecraft and Intelligence Program interviews David Gioe, Professor of Intelligence and Security at King's College London and Associate Professor of History at the US Military Academy at West Point.  They discuss the history of intelligence, with a focus on the Cold War, and explore how it has evolved over time. Chris asks David about the impact of technology on intelligence collection and analysis, and they consider the changing nature of intelligence and new techniques, as well as the o...
2024-04-2640 minStop the World
Stop the WorldUnpacking Australia’s new defence strategyThis week on Stop the World, Senior ASPI Analyst Euan Graham is joined by retired Major General Andrew Bottrell AO, who was previously Head of Land Systems at Defence, alongside ASPI’s Director of Defence Strategy & National Security Bec Shrimpton to discuss the newly released National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program. What is a National Defence Strategy and an Integrated Investment Program and why do we need them? Euan, Andrew and Bec explain the rationale behind the NDS and IIP and share their immediate responses to the two documents – what impressed them and where they see the...
2024-04-1939 minStop the World
Stop the WorldHuman rights in 2024Stop the World, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s new podcast is finally here! Everything seems to be accelerating: geopolitics, technology, security threats, the dispersal of information. At times, it feels like a blur. But beneath the dizzying proliferation of events, discoveries, rivalries and unravellings taking place around the world, there are deeper trends that can be grasped and understood through conversation and debate.  That’s the idea behind Stop the World, ASPI’s new podcast on international affairs and security. Each week, we will cast a freeze-frame around the blur o...
2024-04-1232 minStop the World
Stop the WorldStop the World (Trailer)The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), is pleased to be launching a new podcast - Stop the World. Everything seems to be accelerating: geopolitics, technology, security threats, the dispersal of information. At times, it feels like a blur. But beneath the dizzying proliferation of events, discoveries, rivalries and unravellings, there are deeper trends that can be grasped and understood through conversation and debate. That’s the idea behind Stop the World, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s podcast on international affairs and security. Each week...
2024-04-1001 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyThe Sydney Dialogue and opportunities in space, ASPI’s Critical Technology TrackerNext 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 discuss ASPI’s landmark project, the Critical Technology Tracker. Based on a year’s worth of research and analysis, the tracker looked at which countries are ahead in 44 critical technologies by published research – including defense, space, robotics, energy, biotechnology, artificial...
2023-03-3152 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyASPI opens Washington DC officeOn 13 July, Australia’s Deputy prime minister and defence minister Richard Marles formally opened the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Washington DC office. In what is Australia’s first defence and national security think tank to open an overseas office, we were thrilled to have Minister Marles join ASPI’s Executive Director Justin Bassi and the inaugural Washington DC director Mark Watson for the official launch. In this special episode, Justin and Mark share their views on the launch and the critical role that ASPI DC will play in informing security, defence and foreign policy debates in Washington. Mentioned in this epi...
2022-07-2918 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyIntelligence collaboration, ASEAN and Myanmar, Pacific cyber capacityThis week, ASPI released the report ‘Collaborative and agile: Intelligence community collaboration insights from the United Kingdom and the United States’ which details the lessons learned for Australia’s intelligence communities from key partners, the United States and United Kingdom. Two of the report’s authors Michael Shoebridge and Dr John Coyne discuss their key findings and some of the shared challenges that the intelligence agencies are facing. ASEAN’s response to the Myanmar coup in February this year has challenged the group’s credibility. Dr Huong Le Thu and Dr David Engel explore this in their latest ASPI report, ‘Myanmar’s coup...
2021-11-2643 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyCOP26 concludes, regulating digital tech, mapping India-China border tensionsNow that COP26 has concluded, ASPI’s Dr Robert Glasser and Anastasia Kapetas break down the commitments made at the summit, where they fell short, and what needs to be done to limit warming to 1.5 degrees. As society’s reliance on technology continues to grow, regulating and securing technology becomes increasingly important. ASPI’s Dr Teagan Westendorf speaks to Professor Jeannie Paterson from the University of Melbourne about the need to regulate digital technology in a way that aligns with democratic values. ASPI’s Nathan Ruser and Baani Grewal recently released a multimedia project looking at the increasing border tensions between...
2021-11-2345 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyASPI turns 20!In this very special episode, Peter Jennings, Michael Shoebridge and Graeme Dobell discuss the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s 20-year history which has been marked by the the production of a sparkling and insightful work: ‘An informed voice: ASPI, 2001-2021’ They explore some of the key strategic moments for Australia over the past two decades and discuss some of the highlights from ASPI’s policy analysis over the years amidst different regional and global challenges. Mentioned in this episode: ‘An informed voice: ASPI, 2001-2021’: https://www.aspi.org.au/report/informed-and-independent-voice-aspi-2001-2021 In this episode: Michael Shoebridge. Director: Defence, Strategy & National Sec...
2021-08-2626 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyCrisis in Afghanistan, disinformation in Asia-Pacific & funding far right extremistsFollowing the collapse of Afghanistan’s military and the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul, the US and its allies are accelerating efforts to evacuate their citizens and Afghan refugees from the country. Brendan Nicholson speaks to Peter Jennings about how the security situation deteriorated so rapidly, the short and long-term security risks for Afghanistan and how China might look to engage with the Taliban. Governments across the globe are grappling with how to deal with disinformation-for-hire operations and cyber-enabled foreign interference. The challenges posed by disinformation operations in the Asia-Pacific are explored in the new ASPI report ‘Influence for Hire: The As...
2021-08-2440 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyProtests in Cuba, ransomware on the rise, rethinking Australia’s foreign influence lawsEarlier this month, Cuban citizens took to the streets across the country to protest against deteriorating living conditions amidst the country’s economic and coronavirus crisis. ASPI’s David Engel was previously Australian Ambassador to Mexico and non-resident ambassador to Cuba. He speaks with Professor Adrian Hearn about the protests and their political significance, the impact of social media and the government response. In the wake of the targeted attacks on Microsoft Exchange servers, Australia’s own cyber security vulnerabilities are increasingly being highlighted. Fergus Hanson is joined by the Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre’s CEO Rachael Falk and Anne-Lou...
2021-07-2637 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyStrategic competition in the Pacific, PRC deterrence, Australia’s climate policyLisa Sharland is joined by Professor Joanne Wallis, Professor of International Security at the University of Adelaide, to discuss her chapter on ‘Strategic Competition and the Pacific Islands’ in the Institute for International and Strategic Studies Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment 2021. They discuss the challenges posed by strategic competition in the region, opportunities for Australian engagement and why Australia should work more closely with partners in the region. Dr Malcolm Davis speaks to Lieutenant Colonel Kyle Marcrum and Dr Brendan Mulvaney from the US China Aerospace Studies Institute about the concept of deterrence, something they explored in the recent ASPI report ‘To det...
2021-07-0239 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyAustralia’s submarines, mapping China’s technology giants, post-Covid nation-buildingArguably the biggest submarine program in the Western world outside of the United States, Australia’s submarine development continues to raise concerns around cost. Michael Shoebridge and Dr Marcus Hellyer examine the outcomes of the recent Senate Estimates in relation to the underwater program, and what the life-of-type upgrades mean for the submarine’s future. ASPI’s Mapping China’s Technology Giants project provides an overview of the global impact of Chinese technology companies. Tom Uren is joined by Fergus Ryan and Daria Impiombato for a discussion on how U.S. sanctions have impacted the growth of these organisations, and how the...
2021-06-2236 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyIs alarm on Taiwan wrong? Australian climate attitudes & the Cost of DefenceRecently, national security debates in the United States and Australia have been heavily focused on the likelihood of conflict in the Taiwan Straits. Anastasia Kapetas is joined by Ryan Hass, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution to discuss the credibility of this narrative. They discuss the likelihood of conflict over Taiwan and how Taiwan can counter China’s actions. Dr Robert Glasser is joined by Natasha Kassam, Director of Public Opinion and Foreign Policy Program at the Lowy Institute to discuss Lowy’s ‘Climate Poll 2021’, an annual report on Australia’s national attitude to climate change. ASPI’s annual Cost of Defence r...
2021-06-0938 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyDeclining birth rates in Xinjiang, achieving net zero by 2050, fuel pipeline cyber-attackRecently, ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre released a new report which found that birth rates in Uyghur-majority areas in Xinjiang have fallen by unprecedented amounts since 2017. Danielle Cave speaks to report authors Dr James Leibold and Nathan Ruser about the government policies behind this birth-rate drop and some of the report’s key findings. The International Energy Agency has released the report 'Net Zero by 2050: A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector' which highlights that the need for transitioning to a net zero system by 2050 has become a near-necessity. Anastasia Kapetas and Dr Robert Glasser discuss the report’s findin...
2021-05-2138 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneySoutheast-Asia Climate hazards, AU-Pacific health partnerships & AU guided weapons investmentThis week, ASPI has launched the Climate & Security Policy Centre, which will be headed up by Dr Robert Glasser. Anastasia is joined by Robert to discuss the Centre’s objectives as well as the new ASPI report ‘The rapidly emerging crisis on our doorstep’ which warns of climate hazards in Maritime Southeast Asia. ASPI released the report ‘Next step in the step up: The ADF's role in building health security in Pacific Island states’ which looks at the potential for the ADF to form military partnerships in the health sector in Pacific island countries. Michael Shoebridge, speaks to report author Dr David B...
2021-04-0940 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyYouth and violent extremism, Biden’s climate ambitions and social media weaponisationCoinciding with this week’s launch event of the 2020 Global Terrorism Index at ASPI, Leanne Close speaks with Peta Lowe, Principal Consultant at Phronesis Consulting. Peta has over 15 years’ experience working with young people involved with the justice system, she discusses countering violent extremism in youth populations and outlines some of the key risks for radicalisation and strategies for awareness and prevention. Anastasia Kapetas speaks with Dr Christian Downie Australian Research Council Fellow at the Australian National University. They discuss Biden’s climate goals, how this will impact US domestic and foreign policy and what the implications might be for Austra...
2020-12-1134 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneySpecial Episode: Cultural destruction and detention facilities in XinjiangIn this podcast special, Anastasia Kapetas speaks to some of the team behind ASPI’s research on Xinjiang about their recently launched Xinjiang Data Project and the potential global implications of China’s treatment of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang. ASPI’s Kelsey Munro and Nathan Ruser, and James Leibold, Senior ASPI Fellow and Head of Department of Politics, Media & Philosophy at La Trobe University discuss their research which extensively mapped out 380 detention facilities in Xinjiang that have been built or expanded on since 2017. They also talk about their research on cultural erasure in Xinjiang which traced the destruction of mosques and ot...
2020-10-3045 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyThe Cost of Defence, terrorism in France, and social licence and policing.This week on Policy, Guns and Money, Michael Shoebridge talks to Dr. Marcus Hellyer about his latest report "The cost of Defence - Part 2". They examine the recent government budget announcements and how they align with the 2020 Defence Strategic Update. Leanne Close, Head of ASPI’s Counterterrorism Program, explores the trends of counterterrorism throughout Covid-19 in light of the recent attack in France, in conversation with The Strategist’s Brendan Nicholson. Also in this episode, John Coyne, Head of ASPI’s Policing Program, talks to Vern White, former Canadian Senator and Police Commissioner about the impact of Covid-19 on social licenc...
2020-10-2343 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyReflections on After Covid-19 Vol 2In this weeks episode of Policy, Guns and Money, we speak with some of the authors of ASPI's 'After Covid vol 2' publication. Included are discussions on Soft power, the EU’s approach to China and Australia’s relations with Southeast Asia. Lisa Sharland and Professor Caitlin Byrne, Director of the Griffith Asia Institute discuss how soft power is being used by the US and China, and opportunities for middle and small powers to utilise soft power in multilateral settings. Bart Hogeveen speaks to research interns Alexandra Pascoe and Daria Impiombato about the EU’s approach to China and where the op...
2020-10-1639 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyRight-wing extremism and conspiracies, recovering from Covid-19 and ASEAN meetingsIn this episode of Policy, Guns and Money, Leanne Close and Elise Thomas discuss right-wing extremism, conspiracy theories and some of the different groups of conspiracy theorists. They consider the responses from social media companies and offer suggestions on how governments should respond to these growing challenges. Brendan Nicholson and Michael Shoebridge discuss Volume Two of ASPI’s After Covid-19 report series which focuses on Australia, the region and multilateralism and offers policy recommendations on how Australia and its neighbours can recover from Covid-19. Research intern Alexandra Pascoe chatted with Dr Huong Le Thu about some of the key outcomes fr...
2020-09-1836 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyIndia's maritime power, Challenges of journalism in China & TikTok CensorshipIn this episode of Policy, Guns and Money, Michael Shoebridge speaks with Darshana Baruah, Non-resident scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. They discuss India's Navy and maritime goals, the Quad and Australia-India relations. Peter Jennings and Brendan Nicholson consider the return of Australian journalists Bill Birtles and Mike Smith from China and the general state of the Australia - China relationship. Authors Fergus Ryan and Daria Impiombato speak to Tom Uren about their recent report into censorship on TikTok and WeChat. Report: https://www.aspi.org.au/report/tiktok-wechat People: Peter Jennings: https://www.aspi.org.au/bio...
2020-09-1140 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyFuel Security, the Australia - China relationship and Coercive Diplomacy researchIn this episode of Policy, Guns & Money; Brendan Nicholson, Anastasia Kapetas and Jack Norton of ASPI's 'The Strategist' discuss some of the latest movements in the vexed Australia - China relationship. Michael Shoebridge and John Coyne consider the ongoing issue of improving Fuel Security for Australia and our allies and Emilia Currey and Tracy Beattie talk to Olivia Nelson about the findings of their recently released report: "The Chinese Communist Party’s coercive diplomacy". Report: https://www.aspi.org.au/report/chinese-communist-partys-coercive-diplomacy People: Brendan Nicholson: https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/brendan-nicholson Anastasia Kapetas: https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/an...
2020-09-0434 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyUnderstanding right-wing extremism, China’s talent-recruitment & Covid-19 vaccine disinformationIn this episode of Policy, Guns & Money, Leanne Close, head of ASPI’s Counter-terrorism Program, speaks to Julia Ebner, Resident Research Fellow at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue in London and author of ‘Going Dark – the Secret Social Lives of Extremists’. They discuss right-wing extremism and Julia details her experiences going undercover to engage with extremist groups and individuals and shares her ideas on how governments can respond. Danielle Cave, Deputy Director of ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre (ICPC), speaks to Analyst Alex Joske about his recent report ‘Hunting the Phoenix: The Chinese Communist Party’s global search for technology and...
2020-08-2836 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyCost of Defence 2020, Australia's Cyber Strategy and TikTok in EuropeIn this episode of Policy, Guns and Money, Michael Shoebridge and Marcus Hellyer discuss the key findings of this years The Cost of Defence report which was launched this week. Traditionally the Cost of Defence is a single volume report, but for 2020 it's being released in two parts - this first part discusses the impacts of the Strategic Update 2020. Bart Hogeveen and Tom Uren from ICPC, the ASPI International Cyber Policy Centre, review the recently released Australian Cyber Security Strategy 2020 document and consider the implications of it's directions. (Spoiler alert - the document gets a 5.5/10 from Tom and Bart!) ASPI...
2020-08-1436 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyUS-China tensions, reflections on the ASPI conference and gender and terrorismThis week, Kelsey Munro speaks to Charles Edel, Senior Fellow and Visiting Scholar at Sydney University’s United States Studies Centre about US-China tensions and the US policy approaches towards China. They discuss how the strong rhetoric on China coming out of Washington offers a distraction from US domestic political failings ahead of the upcoming elections. Brendan Nicholson and The Strategist’s new National Security Editor Anastasia Kapetas offer their thoughts on the ASPI conference thus far, and some of the key takeaways from the discussions on the United States and China and where the world might be headed. Leanne Clos...
2020-08-0743 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyCovid-19, satellite imagery analysis explained and the US-Australia allianceThis week on Policy, Guns and Money, Michael Shoebridge, ASPI’s Director of Defence, Strategy and National Security, and Dr Robert Glasser, Visiting Fellow at ASPI, discuss the current Covid-19 situation globally, the successful and failing responses and the challenges ahead across the globe. Senior ICPC Analyst Kelsey Munro speaks to Researcher Nathan Ruser about his use of satellite imagery analysis in his research on areas such as Xinjiang and the China-India border and how he became interested in this type of research tool. And Senior Analyst Dr Huong Le Thu is joined by Colonel Raymond Powell, who recently concluded hi...
2020-07-3035 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money‘Clean pipes’ and internet security, tech companies in Hong Kong and global perspectives on ChinaThis week on Policy, Guns & Money, Tom Uren, Senior ASPI ICPC Analyst, speaks to Sean Duca, Vice President and Regional Chief Security Officer for Asia Pacific & Japan at Palo Alto Networks about ASPI’s ‘Clean Pipes’ report. They discuss how internet service providers can do more to protect users from online threats that hurt the Australian community and economy. ICPC colleagues Louisa Bochner and Elise Thomas discuss the future for tech companies operating in Hong Kong and the challenges they are facing as the Great Firewall approaches. And Brendan Nicholson, Executive Editor of The Strategist, speaks to Michael Shoebridge, ASPI’s Direct...
2020-07-2436 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyOffensive cyber operations, Singapore elections and Pacific disaster resilienceIn this episode of Policy, Guns and Money, Dr John Coyne, Head of Strategic Policing and Law Enforcement at ASPI and Tom Uren, Senior Analyst with ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre discuss the legal dilemma of conducting offensive cyber operations. Next, Senior Analyst Dr Huong Le Thu speaks to Ja Ian Chong, Visiting Scholar at the Harvard-Yenching Institute and Associate Professor of Political Science at the National University of Singapore about the recent Singapore elections, why the results were a surprise for some and what the results mean for Singapore’s foreign policy in the years ahead. And Dr Paul...
2020-07-1636 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyStrategic Vision 2020 with Stan Grant and Peter JenningsIn this special episode of Policy, Guns and Money, ASPI’s Executive Director, Peter Jennings talks to Australian Walkley award winning journalist and ASPI Senior Fellow, Stan Grant and they turn their minds to the upcoming ASPI conference, Strategic Vision 2020. Stan talks about his delight at the incredible line-up of global leaders the conference has in store, and how he is preparing for the in-depth discussions he will facilitate as conference host over the course of four weeks. Peter and Stan consider the big, strategic challenges Australia and the world are facing, as we endure the global pandemic, a probable gl...
2020-07-1416 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyHong Kong security law, Defence Strategic Update and China’s ‘wolf warriors’ on TwitterIn this episode of Policy, Guns and Money, ICPC Program Coordinator, Louisa Bochner speaks to Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian, China reporter at Axios, about the Hong Kong security law, Article 38 and the application of the law and what this latest move from Beijing means for its relations with the US, Australia and other democracies. Next, two of ASPI’s grumpy strategists Marcus Hellyer and Malcolm Davis chat about the 2020 Defence Strategic Update, including what’s new in the update, what it means for the Department of Defence budget and where it falls short. And finally, Tom Uren and Fergus Ryan from ASPI’s Inte...
2020-07-1038 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyThe UN & multilateralism, influence operations on Twitter and intelligence agency reformIn this episode of Policy, Guns & Money, ASPI Researcher Genevieve Feely speaks to gender equality and social inclusion expert Amy Haddad about multilateralism to mark the 75th anniversary UN, the challenges ahead and opportunities for UN reform and changes in gender equality at the UN. ASPI Senior Analyst Jake Wallis and Analyst Samantha Hoffman discuss their recent report 'Retweeting through the Great Firewall' and how they went about analysing 170,000 twitter accounts to uncover the influence operation which largely targeted Chinese speaking communities outside of mainland China. ASPI Journalist Fellow Graeme Dobell and Peter Edwards discuss the evolution of Australian intelligence...
2020-07-0339 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyIndia-China border clash, Korean Peninsula tension and China's overseas influenceIn this episode of Policy, Guns and Money, ASPI's Michael Shoebridge speaks to Shashank Joshi, Defence editor at The Economist about the recent India-China border tensions at Galwan Valley, the risk of further escalations, the politicisation of casualties and the impacts on the strategic relationship between India and China. Research intern Tracy Beattie speaks to Senior Analyst Malcolm Davis about the latest developments on the Korean Peninsula, including North Korea's destruction of the joint liaison office in Kaesong, the role of Kim Jong-un's sister, Kim Yo-Jong and the US response to the situation. And ICPC Program Coordinator Louisa Bochner speaks...
2020-06-2643 minAlternative News
Alternative NewsDoes the ASPI have a place in progressive spaces? No.Intro Presenters: Zachary Doney and Bri AlderseaToday we’re talking about the Australian Strategic Policy InstituteWhat is it? Where does it come from? Does ASPI have a place in progressive spaces?We’ve spoken about ASPI before but the problem hasn’t gone away. For some context, here’s Bri:Recent eventsOn the 11th of June Twitter suspended 170,000 accounts from Twitter with the help of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, which we will now refer to as ASPI. Accounts that, according to Twitter, spread “geopolitical narratives favourable to the Communist Party of China”. This includes so-called “deceptive narratives” around Hong Kong protests and...
2020-06-2100 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyGenomic surveillance, CCP influence & interference operations and Thailand's strategic drift.In this episode of Policy, Guns & Money, Kelsey Munro speaks to James Leibold and Emile Dirks, authors of ASPI’s report; ‘Genomic surveillance – Inside China’s DNA dragnet’ about China’s national campaign of compulsory DNA data collection, the world’s largest police-run DNA database. James and Emile discuss/highlight how multinational companies and major Chinese companies are enabling the Chinese police in building this database. ASPI Executive Director Peter Jennings speaks to Clive Hamilton about his and Mareike Olhberg’s new book ‘Hidden Hand’. The book discusses the covert techniques used by the CCP for its influence and interference operations within un...
2020-06-1957 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyPolitics and Covid-19 in Timor-Leste, protests in Hong Kong and USA, police reform in the USAIn this episode of Policy, Guns & Money, ASPI researcher Genevieve Feely speaks to Robert Baird, English Editor at Tatoli News, about recent political developments in Timor-Leste, including the challenge of a failed state budget, and the country’s Covid-19 response. Senior Analyst Kelsey Munro speaks to the Director of ASPI’s Defence, Strategy and National Security Program, Michael Shoebridge about the protests in Hong Kong and the United States, the parallels and differences between the two protests and what this means in the context of the global contest between authoritarianism and democracy. And Leanne Close, head of ASPI’s Counter-terrorism Progra...
2020-06-1240 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyMaritime & space update, tensions on the China-India border & EU’s recovery from Covid-19In this week's episode of Policy, Guns and Money, two of our (moderately) grumpy strategists Drs Malcolm Davis and Marcus Hellyer bring you a wide-ranging update on maritime and space issues – they discuss Marcus’ recent report on offshore patrol vessels and improving maritime capability, the recently released DST 2030 strategic plan, SpaceX launches and more! Next, ASPI Researcher and India expert Aakriti Bachhawat speaks to Nathan Ruser, Researcher with ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre. They discuss the recent standoff between China and India over the line of actual control and touch on Nathan’s satellite imagery analysis of recent developments. Finally...
2020-06-0532 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyUN Peacekeeper's Day, 'Terrorism is Terrorism' report and ASEAN's response to Covid-19In this episode of ‘Policy, Guns and Money’, Lisa Sharland, head of ASPI’s International Program, speaks to Major General Cheryl Pearce, Force Commander of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. 29 May is the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, and Lisa speaks to Cheryl about her experiences as Force Commander of a peacekeeping mission, the impact of Covid-19 on the mission and the importance of women in peacekeeping. Next, Leanne Close, Head of ASPI’s Counter-terrorism Program, spoke to Professor Boaz Ganor about some of the key findings from his recent ASPI report ‘Terrorism is Terrorism’, including some of his recommen...
2020-05-2952 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyCovid-19 in Vietnam, more disinformation research and Corona virus impacts in Myanmar and YemenIn this episode, ASPI’s Dr Huong Le Thu talks Australia's Ambassador to Vietnam, Her Excellency Robyn Mudie, about the situation on the ground in Vietnam and the lessons to be learnt from the country's response to Covid-19. Next, senior analyst Dr Jake Wallis and research intern Albert Zhang chatted about their recent research on Covid-19 disinformation and social media manipulation and the rise in patriotic trolling campaigns in support of China on social media platforms. Finally, ASPI's Professional Development Program Coordinator Julia Butler spoke to research interns Daria Impiombato and Tracy Beattie about the intersection of conflict and crisis an...
2020-05-0835 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyThe UN and Covid-19, Pacific ICT Development and changing roles for the ADFIn this episode; ASPI’s Lisa Sharland talks to Richard Gowan, International Crisis Group's UN Director, to discuss the International Crisis Group’s recent report: "Covid-19 and Conflict: Seven Trends to Watch". The report is available here: https://www.crisisgroup.org/global/sb4-covid-19-and-conflict-seven-trends-watch Earlier this year Bart Hogeveen of ASPI's ICPC released the report: "ICT for development in the Pacific Islands". Bart speaks with Louisa Bochner about the report and his work assessing e-governance facilities in the Pacific. The report is available here: https://www.aspi.org.au/report/ict-development-pacific-islands Finally, ICPC's Tom Uren and ASPI's Director of Defe...
2020-04-0341 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyCounterterrorism Yearbook 2020This special episode marks the publication of ASPI's Counterterrorism Yearbook for 2020. This is the fourth annual edition of the CT Yearbook and while circumstance dictates we cannot host our traditional launch at the ASPI Auditorium, we invite you to listen to this special episode and join in the conversation about this incredibly important topic. In this episode, we hear an introduction from ASPI Executive Director, Peter Jennings, followed by a conversation between the publication’s co-author John Coyne and Executive Editor of The Strategist, Brendan Nicholson. John then speaks with contributing authors Peta Lowe, Principal Consultant at Phronesis Consulting, and IC...
2020-03-3137 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneySyria, on the ground and in cyberspace, and an uncertain nuclear futureOur two grumpy strategists Michael and Marcus discuss the US withdrawal from Syria, debated Putin’s role and grappled with the complex issue of Australian returning foreign fighters (1:05). Continuing our coverage of Syria, Elise and Tom from our cyber team chat about different social media campaigns that are targeting the narratives surrounding Turkey’s offensive against Kurdish forces in the region (14:40). Finally, Jack interviews Rod Lyon, senior fellow at ASPI, to celebrate the release of his Strategist Selections, a collection of his articles on nuclear strategy (23:10). If you liked this episode don’t forget to recommend it to a fellow strate...
2019-10-2433 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyMorrison goes to Washington, UNGA Games, and contested spaceWe're back ahead of schedule because there is so much to talk about. In this episode, Michael Shoebridge offers his thoughts on Prime Minister Scott Morrison's trip to the United States and the impact it may have had on the Aus-China relationship. Lisa Sharland and Sarah O'Connor unpack the United Nations General Assembly's Leaders' Week and assess Scott Morrison's performance. Finally, former ASPI ANU research intern returns to chat with Malcolm about the Australian Defence Force and contested space. Featured in this episode: Michael Shoebridge https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/michael-shoebridge Renee Jones https://www.aspi.org.au/bio...
2019-09-2729 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyGeneral Angus Campbell & Mapping conditions in Rakhine stateIn our final episode looking at ASPI's 'War in 2025' conference we bring you analysis of the fabulous speech delivered by Chief of the Defence Force, General Angus Campbell. We also talk with the ASPI Cyber team about their latest ground-breaking research report; Mapping conditions in Rakhine state. You can watch General Campbell's full speech here: https://youtu.be/P7O40S9W7ks The ICPC Rakhine state report is available here: https://pageflow.aspi.org.au/rakhine-state General Angus Campbell: http://www.defence.gov.au/CDF/ Brendan Nicholson: https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/brendan-nicholson Danielle Cave: https://www...
2019-07-2916 minASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & Money
ASPI Podcast: Policy, Guns & MoneyPolicy, Guns & Money: The Cost of Defence, the ANU data breach & perspectives from India.In this packed episode of Policy, Guns and Money, Marcus and Michael discuss the key findings of this year's Cost of Defence Budget Brief (0:55). From the Cyber side of the house, Tom and Danielle discuss the ANU data breach (13:10) and Alex and Elise discuss the impact of Alex's report, Picking Flowers, Making Honey (19:20) and to wrap up, roving reporter Brendan Nicholson sat down with Sameer Patil of the Gateway House think-tank to discuss all things India (29:30). Referenced in this episode: https://www.aspi.org.au/report/cost-defence-aspi-defence-budget-brief-2019-2020 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-04/anu-data-hack-bank-records-personal-information/11176788 https://www.aspi...
2019-06-0641 min