In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Rockingham City Councillor Peter Hudson joins host Liam Garman to unpack the role of local government in delivering infrastructure needed for AUKUS Pillars I and II.

• Cr Hudson and Garman begin unpacking the infrastructure that is needed to deliver large-ticket defence items, and how Australia needs a national security strategy to ensure a whole-of-nation approach to national security.
• They then discuss what the federal and state governments need to do to deliver Defence capabilities and address the workforce gap.
• The podcast wraps up discussing the rise of China and rising political uncertainty within Australia’s AUKUS allies.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

In this episode of Cyber Uncut, Liam Garman and Daniel Croft unpack the latest cyber security news, complete with some interesting lessons for business leaders from this year’s Australian Cyber Security Summit.

• The pair begin the podcast with an update on allegations of a breach at a global professional services company, before analysing how businesses need to refine post-breach communications by including receptionists, assistants and call centres in their strategies.
• They then look at the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s recent judgment on the cause of the Optus hack, and recent moves from LockBit targeting US financial institutions and the Indonesian government.

In this episode, the Cyber Daily team went live at the Australian Cyber Security Summit, where we caught up with AUCloud’s Peter Maloney, Mercury ISS’ Edward Farrell, and Brendan Dowling – Australia’s ambassador for cyber affairs and critical technology.

• Farrell talks about his company’s 10-year journey and how Mercury ISS has expanded its cyber security offering.
• Dowling explains exactly what his role entails and the importance of international collaboration in fighting cyber crime.
• Maloney breaks down AUCloud’s 2024 Cyber Security Healthcare Report on the threats facing the healthcare industry and how the sector can protect itself in the face of growing cyber attacks.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, host Steve Kuper speaks with Professor John Blaxland about Australia’s growing need for a national security strategy.

The pair also discuss:

• Blaxland’s history as an Army intelligence and signals officer, his transfer to the Australian National University, and his career as an academic working in Washington.
• The recently commissioned RSL report authored by Blaxland outlining the geopolitical, strategic, and environmental challenges that necessitate an Australian National Security Strategy.
• The individual components of an Australian National Security Strategy and setting us up for success in the face of great power competition.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, hosts Steve Kuper and Rob Dougherty discuss the events and topics that were making headlines across industry.

Reporting live from the 2024 Australian Cyber Security Summit in Canberra, the pair also discuss:

• The Ukrainian ambassador’s indication of interest in Australia’s retiring Tiger attack helicopters.
• Setting the record straight on debate around Australia donating the retired F/A-18 Hornets to Ukraine.
• The ongoing strengthening of the relationships between the world’s autocratic powers: Russia, China, and North Korea.
• Mounting concerns that the United States may not directly intervene in the event of Chinese hostilities towards Taiwan.
• The US’ “hellscape” strategy for supporting expanded foreign military sales to Taiwan.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, host Steve Kuper is joined by former deputy secretary strategy in the Department of Defence and secretary of the Department of Home Affairs, Michael Pezzullo, to discuss the “long arc” of Australia’s defence policy.

The pair begin their discussion focusing on the early days of Australia’s “sovereign” defence policy, beginning in the aftermath of the Second World War, and our double-edged sword fear of “entrapment” and “abandonment”.

They also discuss:

• The evolution of Australia’s defence policy and posture during the Cold War, culminating in the 1986 Dibb Report and 1987 Defence White Paper which continues to influence the nation’s posture and policy to this day.
• The 2009 Defence White Paper whose development was led by Pezzullo and the Force 2030 concept which marks the first time China’s regional ambitions are highlighted and accounted for in Australian planning.
• The current predicament Australia finds itself facing in light of mounting great power tension and competition in the Indo-Pacific and our need to rapidly prepare.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect Team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Liam Garman, Steve Kuper, and Robert Dougherty address confusion surrounding the government’s recent recruitment announcement and examine why governments in the West remain complacent despite the continued rise of authoritarian powers.

• Dougherty unpacks the federal government’s recent announcement to open ADF recruitment to permanent residents from New Zealand, the UK, the US, and Canada and what this will mean for Defence.
• The trio then examine the West’s continued complacency regarding national security and America’s waning geopolitical hegemony, discussing whether we are looking at the end of the “end of history”.
• The podcast wraps up analysing the recent Collins Class life-of-type extension and the extent of Australia’s deterrence gap.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Spotlight podcast, Tim Napper, federal principal at HDR, joins host Liam Garman to unpack how the Australian Defence Force can unlock the best from its soldiers, sailors, and aviators through estate design.

• The pair begin by discussing how the Commonwealth needs to review how it thinks about infrastructure – and how human-centric estate design can improve the wellbeing, morale, and performance of its teams.
• Napper then touches on examples from the health and education sectors where data-driven design is used to improve recovery and learning.
• They wrap up the podcast examining how Defence can make design and build more efficient, which will ensure that more businesses stay in Defence industry.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team