What are the key takeaways from the 2024 Quad Leaders’ Summit? The Quad has helped its members to align and coordinate key policies, but what more needs to be done to improve its ability to deliver on major initiatives? Would the Quad benefit from pursuing a foundational treaty, agreement, or common branding, or is it better served by retaining its…

How can public policy better reflect the humanity and vulnerability of citizens? How can government leaders remain mindful of individuals within broader systems, and how does this approach improve public policy outcomes? How can governments foster ethical leadership and accountability while balancing political pressures and systemic challenges? In …

What is the central logic of AUKUS from a UK perspective? How does AUKUS contribute to European security? How does AUKUS fit into UK defence interests and strategies in the Indo-Pacific? In this episode, Damian Parmenter joins Rory Medcalf to discuss the UK perspective on AUKUS: the strategic environment, Pillar One operational specifics, diplomati…

Considering new contributions to the Pacific Resilience Fund, is the global community doing enough to support Pacific Island countries? How has the Falepili Union between Australia and Tuvalu been received more broadly across the region? Will it be replicated? How does the Pacific Policing Initiative fit within the Pacific approach to collective se…

What is sports diplomacy and why is it important to Australia’s foreign policy? What is the rationale behind the PNG-Australia rugby league deal? How are sporting events being weaponised to undermine social cohesion or reflect geopolitical tensions? In this episode, Bianca Birdsall and Stuart Murray join David Andrews to discuss the role of sport a…

What makes the space domain critical to Australia’s defence and security? What is our constellation of defence partners in space? What assets does Australia bring to these relationships? What are the challenges and opportunities in the space domain? Is Australia contributing to what some critics call the “militarisation of space”? In this episode, …

What can we expect from Indian foreign and security policy under a third Modi government? How does the India-Russia relationship impact India’s foreign policy and cooperation with Western partners? How can India manage its strategic ambitions amidst region instability – including its deteriorating relationship with China? How do Australia and other…

How have alliances and security partnerships in the Indo-Pacific evolved in recent years? What trends can be identified? How does the current security environment compare to previous eras of alliance formation? What lessons can we draw? Are we seeing a strategic convergence between the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific? Between NATO and the networ…

What are the priorities of the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) and how have they evolved to reflect our strategic environment? What is the importance of and strategic reasoning for AUKUS Pillar Two? What misconceptions exist about defence research at universities? How does industry, policy, and research intersect to contribute to deterr…

What is Australia’s concept of ‘National Defence’ and where does AUKUS fit into it? What misconceptions exist about AUKUS Pillar One? What progress has been made to realise the potential of AUKUS Pillar Two? In this episode, Hugh Jeffrey joins Rory Medcalf to discuss Australia’s current strategic landscape, the Defence Strategic Review, National De…

How is ‘stabilisation’ of the Australia-China relationship being viewed in Brussels, and other European capitals? How could Australia and Europe better work together to limit China’s global influence? And what lessons can Canberra learn from Brussels' approach to economic security – particularly with regard to electric vehicles? In this episode, Ja…

Why is the resilience of Australia’s democracy critical to our freedom and privilege? What challenges does social media pose to the functioning of our democracy? How do tears in our social fabric exacerbate anti-democratic behaviour? In this episode, Tom Rogers and Clare O’Neil discuss the importance of, and challenges facing, elections and democra…

Is terrorism becoming a more prevalent threat in Western societies, or are we getting better at identifying potential terrorists and extremists? How are terrorist and extremist groups taking advantage of a new, more connected world to further their objectives? Has there been a shift towards embracing the role of women in both terrorist organisation…

What are the dynamics behind the sudden raft of economic security challenges Australia is confronting? What policy and institution settings need to be redesigned for the new world we find ourselves in? How can Australia look to diversify its trade and resources in order to steer clear of global supply chain tensions? In this session, Jeffrey Wilson…

What is social licence a licence for? What are the public signing up to? How do other nations restructure the national security discussion to involve people, rather than just informing them? As a diverse and multicultural nation, how can we use technology to broaden public consultation?    In this episode, James Brown, Dai Le, Christian Fjäder, Lis…

What are the objectives of China’s foreign and security policies under Xi Jinping? What is the role of Australia and other middle powers in responding to Chinese actions in the Indo-Pacific? Are the United States’ China policies set to change with future shifts in the international order? In this episode, Sheena Chestnut Greitens and Dan Blumenthal…

Is the decline of democracy being overblown? How has social media reshaped democracy, for better and for worse? How can the next generation of leaders sustain and strengthen democracy? In this episode, George Brandis, Tom Rogers, Atul Sharma, and Ketty Chen join Janine O’Flynn to discuss elections, institutions, opportunities, and challenges for de…