
The National Security Podcast
ANU National Security College
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Top 10 The National Security Podcast Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The National Security Podcast episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The National Security Podcast for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The National Security Podcast episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Why Indo-Pacific maritime security matters
The National Security Podcast
01/18/24 • 47 min
What is the significance of the Indian Ocean in Indo-Pacific security?
Is it useful to distinguish between traditional and non-traditional maritime threats?
And how might the AUKUS agreement reshape maritime security in the region?
In this episode, Frédéric Grare and Justin Burke join Jennifer Parker to tackle the maritime challenges facing Australia and the region.
Dr Frédéric Grare is a Senior Research Fellow at the ANU National Security College (NSC) in an expert program sponsored by the government of France.
Justin Burke is a Senior Policy Advisor at NSC and a Non-Resident Fellow at the Centre for Maritime Strategy and Security at the Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University.
Jennifer Parker is an Expert Associate at NSC and an Adjunct Fellow in Naval Studies at UNSW Canberra.
Show notes:
- Securing our Future – a national security conference: secure your tickets
- National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA): find out more
- IUU Fishing: find out more
We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Securing Australia with Major General Duncan Lewis
The National Security Podcast
08/19/20 • 66 min
On this National Security Podcast, Head of National Security College Professor Rory Medcalf speaks with Major General Duncan Lewis, former Director-General of Security at ASIO, about securing Australia in an age of disruption.
Since 9/11, it has become clear to Australia’s leaders that developing a national security pedigree in the Australian Public Service was imperative to meeting the challenges of an age of deep strategic disruption. To open the National Security College’s 10th Anniversary Conversation Series, Professor Rory Medcalf talks with recently retired Major General Duncan Lewis, former Director-General of Security at the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and National Security Adviser under the Rudd government, about the decision to create the National Security College. They also cover the daunting tasks of national security policymakers as Australia faces a grim strategic environment, and some valuable lessons from a lifetime of service in Australia’s national security community.
Major General Duncan Lewis AO DSC CSC is the recently retired Director-General of Security at ASIO and served as Australia’s National Security Adviser. In the Army, he was both the Special Air Service Regiment's Commanding Officer and Special Operations Commander Australia, commanding the Australian Defence Force’s Special Operations Command.
Professor Rory Medcalf is Head of the National Security College at The Australian National University. His professional background involves more than two decades of experience across diplomacy, intelligence analysis, think tanks, and journalism.
We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or find us on Facebook. The National Security Podcast and Policy Forum Pod are available on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and wherever you get your podcasts.
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Fostering ethical leadership: why compassion matters in public service
The National Security Podcast
09/19/24 • 54 min
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 this episode, Mark Crosweller and Margaret Moreton join David Andrews to discuss compassion, ethical leadership, resilience, and the tensions between individuals and institutions in the national security space.
Dr Mark Crosweller AFSM is a Distinguished Advisor at the ANU National Security College (NSC) and Director of Ethical Intelligence Pty Ltd.
Dr Margaret Moreton is Executive Director at the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience.
David Andrews is a Senior Policy Advisor at NSC.
Show notes:
- ANU academic programs – find out more
- Mark’s book - Compassion in Disaster Management: The Essential Ethic of Relational Leadership
- IPCC – The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

American democracy at a moment of change
The National Security Podcast
11/18/20 • 53 min
In this episode of National Security Podcast, Dr Vasabjit Banerjee — specialist in comparative politics, electoral competition and political violence — joins Chris Farnham to discuss the current situation in the United States and the future of American democracy.
With the sitting president refusing to accept the election result and claiming mass-voter fraud, whilst his supporters take to the streets and threaten violence, the United States stands at a political crossroads. In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Dr Vasabjit Banerjee – Assistant Professor and Coordinator of International Studies at Mississippi State University – talks with Chris Farnham about why President Trump has been such a shock to American democracy, why he is leveraging social unrest and what his lasting impact on American politics is likely to be.
Vasabjit Banerjee is an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of International Studies at Mississippi State University where he specialises in comparative politics, electoral competition, contentious politics and political violence.
Chris Farnham is the presenter of the National Security Podcast. He joined the ANU National Security College in June 2015 and is currently Senior Outreach and Policy Officer. Prior to joining the ANU, Chris was a soldier in the Australian Army, and an analyst for think tanks and private intelligence companies where he focused on geopolitics and East Asian regional security.
We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or find us on Facebook. The National Security Podcast and Policy Forum Pod are available on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and wherever you get your podcasts.
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Senator James Paterson on Australian security and foreign interference
The National Security Podcast
04/13/21 • 45 min
In this episode of the National Security Podcast — part of our Security Summit Series — Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security Senator James Paterson chats to Head of the ANU National Security College Professor Rory Medcalf.
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has become increasingly prominent in recent years. Its work is not only highly visible, but highly influential too — as so much policy and legislation now has a national security edge to it. In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Senator James Paterson shares a snapshot of the Committee he now chairs — what it is and what it does — with Head of the National Security College Professor Rory Medcalf. Their wide-ranging conversation spans Australia-China relations, countering foreign interference in Australian universities, sovereignty, bipartisanship and more.
Senator James Paterson is Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, Deputy Chair of the Senate Select Committee on COVID-19 and Australian co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China. He was elected as a Senator for Victoria in 2016.
Professor Rory Medcalf is Head of the National Security College at The Australian National University. His professional experience spans more than two decades across diplomacy, intelligence analysis, think tanks, and journalism.
You might also be interested in the recent paper authored by Katherine Mansted, Senior Adviser for Public Policy at the ANU National Security College, The Domestic Security Grey Zone: Navigating the Space Between Foreign Influence and Foreign Interference.
We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or find us on Facebook. The National Security Podcast and Policy Forum Pod are available on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Young Australians in national security and foreign affairs
The National Security Podcast
06/23/22 • 31 min
In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Kate Clayton and Dom Dwyer join Will Stoltz to discuss how young Australians are seeking to influence policymakers and what can be expected of the next generation of leaders.
Young Australians in International Affairs (YAIA) and the Youth National Security Strategy (YNSS) are two organisations seeking to equip the next generation of security and foreign affairs decision-makers to lead in an uncertain world. Through distinctly different approaches they are also supporting amplifying the perspectives and concerns of young Australians in the policy discourses. Kate Clayton from Young Australians in International Affairs and Dom Dwyer from the Youth National Security Strategy join Will Stoltz to discuss how young Australians are seeking to influence policymakers and what can be expected of the next generation of leaders.
Kate Clayton is a Research Officer at La Trobe Asia and Chief Operations Officer at Young Australians in International Affairs. Her research looks at climate change, security, and geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific region.
Dom Dwyer is Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Youth National Security Strategy. He is currently completing honours research at The Australian National University.
Dr William A Stoltz is the Policy Director at the ANU National Security College.
Show notes | The following were mentioned during this episode:
State of the Service Report, Australian Public Service Commission, (2021)
Young Australians in International Affairs publications and events
Youth National Security Strategy’s work and latest strategy
We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clare O'Neil MP and Professor Ciaran Martin on cyber security
The National Security Podcast
11/10/22 • 64 min
In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Australia’s Minister for Cyber Security Clare O’Neil MP and the former head of Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre Ciaran Martin join Katherine Mansted in conversation.
The recent data breaches at Optus and Medibank remind us how valuable, yet vulnerable, Australians’ personal data is. The hacks — which are two of the worst in the country’s history — highlight the need for a rethink of the nation’s approach to cyber security. In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Australia’s Minster for Cyber Security the Hon Clare O'Neil MP and former head of the United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre Professor Ciaran Martin join Katherine Mansted in conversation. This episode was recorded at an event hosted by ANU National Security College, in partnership with CyberCX, on 9 November 2022.
The Hon Clare O’Neil MP is Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Cyber Security in the Australian Government. She Labor member for the federal seat of Hotham in Victoria.
Professor Ciaran Martin is the former Chief Executive of the United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre and is a Professor of Practice in the Management of Public Organisations at the University of Oxford.
Katherine Mansted is a Senior Fellow in the Practice of National Security at ANU National Security College. She is also the Director of Cyber Intelligence at CyberCX.
Major General Duncan Lewis AO DSC CSC (Retd) is a Professor in the Practice of National Security at ANU National Security College. He concluded his 47-year career in the Australian Government as Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Organisation.
We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Helsinki head-scratcher
The National Security Podcast
07/20/18 • 10 min
The world has become accustomed to the disruptive presidency of Donald Trump, but few could have imagined the extraordinary press conference between Trump and Putin this week in Finland. Standing next to the Russian President, Trump cast doubt on his own intelligence community in favour of the word of a former KGB officer that Russia did not covertly swing the 2016 election in his favour. In this special National Security Pod Extra, Chris Farnham hears from Russian foreign policy expert Matt Sussex about what might really be behind Trump’s apparent bromance with Putin.
Associate Professor Matthew Sussex is the Academic Director at the National Security College. His main research specialisation is on Russian foreign and security policy.
Chris Farnham is the presenter of the National Security Podcast. He joined the National Security College in June 2015 as Policy and Events Officer. His career focus has been on geopolitics with experience working in and out of China for a number of years as well as operating in Australia and Southeast Asia.
We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or find us on Facebook.
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Professor James Renwick on national security law and intelligence oversight
The National Security Podcast
11/15/21 • 46 min
In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Head of the ANU National Security College Professor Rory Medcalf is joined in conversation by James Renwick, Senior Counsel, Honorary Professor at ANU College of Law, and former Independent National Security Legislation Monitor, to discuss the future of national security oversight.
In this National Security Podcast, Professor Rory Medcalf and Honorary Professor James Renwick explore the role of the judiciary in overseeing and authorising the powers of Australia’s national security agencies and how this might evolve. They discuss James’ experiences as the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor (INSLM) and as a reservist in the Royal Australian Navy, and talk about his important INSLM report ‘Trust but Verify’ which examined the ability of intelligence and security agencies to access communications data.
Honorary Professor James Renwick CSC SC is a member of the NSW Bar, Deputy Judge Advocate General in the Royal Australian Navy, and was the third Independent National Security Legislation Monitor of Australia. As guest editor of the Australian Law Journal James has overseen its latest issue which is a special edition focusing on national security and the law.
Professor Rory Medcalf is Head of the National Security College at The Australian National University. His professional experience spans more than two decades across diplomacy, intelligence analysis, think tanks, and journalism.
We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or find us on Facebook. The National Security Podcast and Policy Forum Pod are available on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Election watch 2024: what makes Indonesian democracy unique?
The National Security Podcast
02/08/24 • 41 min
As Indonesian head to the polls on 14 February, what’s important to know about the nation’s conception of democracy and its political ecosystem?
Who are the key candidates in the presidential election — what do they represent?
And what could be the implications of a change of government for security and diplomacy in the region?
In this episode, Natalie Sambhi and Gary Quinlan join Rory Medcalf to discuss the upcoming Indonesian elections, and how the outcome might impact bilateral ties with Australia and security in the region.
Dr Natalie Sambhi is a Senior Policy Fellow with Asia Society Australia and the Founder and Executive Director of Verve Research. Her research focuses on Indonesian military affairs, Indonesian defence policy and Southeast Asian security.
Gary Quinlan AO is a former diplomat and public servant who served as Australia’s Ambassador to Indonesia, High Commissioner to Singapore and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.
Professor Rory Medcalf AM is Head of ANU National Security College. His professional experience spans more than three decades across diplomacy, Intelligence analysis, think tanks, journalism and academia.
Show notes:
- Securing our Future – national security conference, 9–10 April, 2024: secure your tickets
We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected]. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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FAQ
How many episodes does The National Security Podcast have?
The National Security Podcast currently has 256 episodes available.
What topics does The National Security Podcast cover?
The podcast is about Foreign Affairs, Defence, Geopolitics, Climate Change, Podcasts, Education, Cyber Security, China, National Security and Government.
What is the most popular episode on The National Security Podcast?
The episode title 'Australia’s Cyber Security Strategy' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The National Security Podcast?
The average episode length on The National Security Podcast is 46 minutes.
How often are episodes of The National Security Podcast released?
Episodes of The National Security Podcast are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of The National Security Podcast?
The first episode of The National Security Podcast was released on Jun 6, 2018.
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