Defence & Security Podcast Network

As Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese moves to secure the Pacific and ensure continued alignment with Australia, China threw a wrench in the works by conducting a ballistic missile test, effectively firing the starter's gun on a countdown to war.
In a chilling diagnosis of the Australian political landscape, the latest Contested Ground podcast presents a blunt thesis: the nation has traded the rigorous, strategic statecraft of the past for a hyper-partisan focus on domestic "household" economics, leaving Australia dangerously unprepared for the brewing realities of global conflict.
Hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson sit down with former Department of Home Affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo to unpack a harsh truth. The political class has become obsessed with the "household offer" – the immediate, transactional relief of cost-of-living policies at the expense of long-term strategic vision.
Pezzullo argues that modern politics has atrophied its ability to handle global affairs because, quite simply, politicians no longer view deep strategic expertise as a necessary tool in their belt.
The conversation takes a sharp turn when Pezzullo, leaning on his decades of experience, offers a sobering assessment of the Indo-Pacific. He posits a 10–15 per cent probability of a major Pacific conflict by 2028, a window tied to China's internal political calendar and the strategic positioning of US combat assets in Australia.
This isn't merely academic posturing; it is a call for an integrated national plan that currently does not exist. Pezzullo's warning is clear: while Australia has a "quiet" military culture and lacks the martial fervor of other nations, this complacency is a liability when facing a potential major power confrontation.
Perhaps the most provocative thread of the discussion is the challenge to our current leadership's capabilities.
When asked if the current political establishment is equipped to manage a national crisis of this magnitude, the consensus is grim. The conversation draws parallels to Yes, Prime Minister, suggesting that while current leaders might try to channel their inner Churchill when pressure mounts, they lack the foundational historical and strategic literacy that defined the era of leaders like Kim Beazley and Gareth Evans.
The podcast concludes on a pessimistic but realistic note: proactive leadership is unlikely. Pezzullo suggests that the system is so entrenched in domestic optics that it may take a significant crisis, an event more traumatic than a pandemic or supply chain shock, to force the necessary "overpressure" on government.
Until that catalyst arrives, the national security apparatus remains in a holding pattern, hoping for peace but arguably failing to prepare for the strategic storms on the horizon.
Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground team

How is Australia's defence industry accelerating innovation to keep pace with rapidly evolving threats, from autonomous drones through to directed energy weapons?
In this episode of the Defence Connect Spotlight podcast, host Robert Dougherty is joined by Lee Kormany, executive vice president Electro Optic Systems Defence Systems Australia.
The discussion builds on a recent $5.7 million contract announcement from the federal government that EOS Defence Systems will develop the R400 SLINGER counter-uncrewed aerial systems capability, under the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator's Mission Syracuse.
The pair explores how EOS has adapted its remote weapon systems to address emerging aerial threats, the importance of rapid capability development and why collaboration between Defence, industry and academia is becoming increasingly critical to the sovereign industrial base.
Kormany also examines how artificial intelligence, directed energy and software-enabled hardware are shaping the next generation of defence capabilities. She highlights the importance of practical innovation that delivers operational outcomes rather than simply demonstrating technological potential.
The podcast conversation includes the following topics:
How EOS transformed its R400 remote weapon station into an effective counter-drone capability through rapid engineering innovation.
Why directed energy weapons and high-energy lasers are becoming increasingly important for modern defence operations.
The need to accelerate capability development and deliver operational systems at the pace of evolving threats.
The role of collaboration between Defence, industry and academia in developing sovereign Australian capability.
How Australia's Defence Industry Development Strategy, AUKUS Pillar 2 and workforce initiatives are helping shape future defence innovation.
The growing role of artificial intelligence, autonomy and software-defined systems in supporting faster and more informed military decision making.
Finally, the conversation examines how sovereign manufacturing, export growth and practical engineering innovation are positioning Australian industry to deliver advanced defence capabilities at home while supporting international partners in an increasingly contested strategic environment.
Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect Spotlight team

Cyber criminals and nation-state actors are no longer relying on malware alone – they're exploiting trust. Here's what you need to know to fight back.

ThreatLocker's Emile Barakat joins Cyber Daily's David Hollingworth to help Australia's business leaders understand how threat actors target professionals on platforms like LinkedIn – and how it needs to be addressed.
Whether it's a fake recruiter, consultant, or business partner, attackers invest weeks or months in building credibility before asking victims to open a file, run code, or share sensitive information. The old advice of "don't click suspicious links" is no longer enough – employees must learn to question suspicious opportunities just as much as suspicious emails.
Traditional security awareness training also needs an overhaul. Quarterly phishing exercises remain important, but modern attacks increasingly hide behind legitimate-looking software, trusted open-source tools, and highly personalised AI-driven social engineering.
The message for business leaders is simple, says Barakat: assume your organisation is a target, regardless of its size.
Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut Team

How can Australia balance the need to strengthen international security partnerships while accelerating investment in domestic defence capability across multiple domains?
In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Stephen Kuper, Robert Dougherty and Bethany Alvaro discuss a busy week across defence, national security and industry.
Discussion includes new cooperation agreements signed by the Australian Federal Police with the FBI, PayPal and the US Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division to deepen collaboration against terrorism, transnational crime and emerging security threats.
The team explores Australia's growing strategic partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, including the landmark defence treaty signed between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, and what the agreement means for regional security and Pacific stability.
Attention then turns to sovereign capability, including Carbonix becoming the first Australian company to achieve a Safety Assurance Integrity Level III certification for a long-range uncrewed aerial system alongside the announcement of a new $85.9 million F-35 Air Power Precinct in the Hunter region, which will enhance sustainment for Australia's Joint Strike Fighter fleet and regional operators.
The team also examines Lieutenant General Susan Coyle's historic appointment as Australia's first female chief of Army, Air Marshal Glen Braz's transition to chief of Joint Capabilities, and the leadership changes shaping the future direction of the Australian Defence Force.
Rounding out the episode, the panel discusses the government's $5.7 million investment in Electro Optic Systems' Australian-made R400 Slinger counter-drone system under Mission Syracuse and what it signals for the future of sovereign defence manufacturing and counter-uncrewed aerial systems capability.
Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

While Australia's level of political atomisation is far from as bad as what is being experienced in the broader Western world, we're not far-off. How we engage with generations of Australians will have dramatic ramifications for our national security in the immediate and longer term.

Following mounting political tensions across the Western world, with startling examples in the United Kingdom in recent weeks, Australia and Australians have been watching with bated breath as to how long it will take for those simmering tensions to boil over closer to home.
These undercurrents have served to combine with mounting intergenerational hostilities and competition over employment, housing and lifestyle opportunities, with younger Australians increasingly feeling like they were sold a bung deal.
Speaking with Ben Dullroy of Bravo Delta Advisory, host Steve Kuper unpacks the rising political isolation, tensions and, for the establishment parties of Australian politics, concern over the rise of populism on both the left and right of the political divide.
The pair detail the areas of comparison and contrast between Australia and other similar nations like the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, discussing emerging trends in the respective political discourse and agenda setting and what Australia can do to avoid the same pitfalls as some of our compatriot nations.
They also discuss the impact of immigration, declining employment prospects and one of the most overlooked aspects behind social cohesion – the dating scene and the intersections of social and cultural investment and national security.
Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground team