Defence & Security Podcast Network
The Defence & Security Podcast Network features a series of podcasts with discussions on the Australian defence and security industry. Guests include government officials, ADF personnel, industry stakeholders, and academics. The podcasts cover traditional sectors like Land, Air, and Sea, as well as six new Capability Streams such as Intelligence, Surveillance, and Cyber. The network aims to bridge the gap between Defence and industry, supporting Australia's Force Structure and First Principles Reviews.
Episodes
Black Hawk modernisation, domestic sustainment and workforce development, with Lockheed Martin's Rodahn Gibbon and Bobby Adkins
How is Lockheed Martin supporting Australia's Black Hawk fleet, strengthening sovereign sustainment and preparing the platform for future modernisation? Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty at Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition 2026, Lockheed Martin Australia UH-60M sustainment program manager Rodahn Gibbon and Lockheed Martin US UH-60 Black Hawk Strategy seni
SPOTLIGHT: DISP compliance, defence industry security and strengthening Australian supply chains, with De Stefano & Co's Emilio De Stefano
How can Australian defence industry businesses strengthen security, achieve Defence Industry Security Program membership and position themselves to win more defence contracts? Speaking with Defence Connect Spotlight host Phil Tarrant at Land Forces 2026 in Perth, De Stefano & Co CEO and managing director Emilio De Stefano discusses the growing importance of security compliance across Australia's
CYBER UNCUT: AI's double-edged sword – Cyber Uncut examines bank job cuts, vulnerabilities, and ransomware
From AI-driven workloads and bank job cuts to attackers exploiting vulnerabilities at machine speed, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft unpack a turbulent week in cyber security – including Australia's latest threat statistics and proposals to protect artists from AI-generated imitations. The Finance Sector Union says AI adoption is increasing workloads and stress, while job security falls amid t
AUKUS, workforce challenges and domestic defence industry priorities, with AtkinsRéalis' David Eyles
How is AtkinsRéalis supporting Australia's AUKUS submarine enterprise, addressing critical workforce shortages and translating global expertise into sovereign defence capability? Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty at Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition 2026, AtkinsRéalis defence market director David Eyles discusses the company's priorities for Australia's def
CYBER UNCUT: AI, job cuts, and PHP drama – Cyber Uncut tackles another wild week
From AI-driven bank job cuts and online radicalisation to critical PHP vulnerabilities and ransomware gangs using AI to analyse stolen data, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft unpack a week where artificial intelligence is reshaping both business and cyber crime. AI is transforming banking, but the benefits come with a human cost. On this week's Cyber Uncut, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft ex
Aerospace engineering, UAVs and Australia's next generation of defence talent, with RMIT University's Marcus Serong
How are university engineering programs and hands-on aircraft design competitions helping develop the next generation of aerospace engineers for Australia's defence industry? Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty, RMIT University aerospace engineering honours student Marcus Serong discusses his experience competing in the AIAA Design/Build/Fly competition in the United States
Counter-drone systems, manufacturing and Australia's defence industry priorities, with Northrop Grumman Australia's Robert Denney
How is Northrop Grumman Australia supporting sovereign defence manufacturing, strengthening local supply chains and developing next-generation counter-drone capabilities? Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty at Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition 2026, Northrop Grumman Australia country executive Robert Denney discusses the company's priorities for Australian D
SPOTLIGHT: Australia's loitering munitions, sovereign manufacturing and the future of drone warfare, with Innovaero's Gregory Tunny
How is Australia developing sovereign loitering munition capabilities, scaling domestic production and preparing for the changing character of modern warfare? Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty, Innovaero CEO Gregory Tunny discusses the evolution of drone warfare, the growing importance of affordable precision mass and the lessons emerging from conflicts in Ukraine and the
CYBER UNCUT: Deepfakes, hacked fridges and Australia's evolving cyber defences
From banks battling big tech for AI talent to ransomware attacks exposing sensitive medical records, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft unpack another eventful week in cyber security – including why your supermarket fridge might be a bigger security risk than you think. AI is reshaping everything from banking to elections, but are organisations keeping pace with the risks? Hollingworth and Croft
Contested logistics and Australia's defence industry priorities at Land Forces 2026, with Amentum Australia's Kim Katheklakis
Amentum is looking to expand its presence in Australia's defence and national security sectors, with a focus on contested logistics, theatre logistics and support for naval infrastructure. Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty at Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition 2026, Amentum Australia managing director Kim Katheklakis discusses the company's growth strategy
Containerised solutions and human-in-the-loop systems at Land Forces 2026, with IAI's Maxim Zemer
Israel Aerospace Industries expands into the Indo-Pacific region as it pitches solutions for local deployment of missile, uncrewed aerial vehicle, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems. Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty at Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition 2026, Israel Aerospace Industries' marketing director, Maxim Zemer, discusses the com
SPOTLIGHT: Lockheed Martin Australia's priorities, leadership and life after service, with Jeremy King
How is Lockheed Martin Australia strengthening defence capability, expanding local manufacturing and delivering complex programs for the Australian Defence Force Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty, Major General (Ret'd) Jeremy King, chief executive of Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand, discusses his transition from senior Defence leadership into industry and the ch
CYBER UNCUT: Dead internet theory, AI agent guerilla marketing hacks, and the pros and cons of data centres
Cyber Uncut returns to discuss AI giant conspiracies, data centre impacts, and the dead internet theory. Are AI giants like OpenAI having their agents hack things on purpose? Senior journalist Daniel Croft and managing editor Liam Garman touch on the theory that these tech giants want their AI models hacking, as any publicity is good publicity. The two start by discussing dead internet theory and
THE PROGRESS REPORT: Leadership, mentorship and life at sea – Commander Melanie Lennard on 17 years in the Royal Australian Navy
How do you build an inclusive, adaptable and capable Australian Defence Force through leadership, lifelong learning and the experiences that shape military careers? Royal Australian Navy Commander Melanie Lennard shares her journey from studying sports science at university to a 17-year career in the Royal Australian Navy, including operational deployments to South Sudan and the leadership lessons
Australia's munitions manufacturing push at Land Forces 2026, with NIOA Group's Robert Nioa
NIOA Group is expanding its role in Australia's munitions manufacturing sector amid growing global demand, supply chain constraints and the need to strengthen domestic defence industrial capability. Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty at Land Forces 2026, NIOA Group CEO Robert Nioa discusses the company's growing role as a prime contractor, its partnerships with the Australi
EOS showcases new interceptor and layered drone defence at Land Forces 2026, with Lee Kormany
Electro Optic Systems is showcasing a range of counter-uncrewed aerial systems technology and a new EOS Interceptor at Land Forces 2026 in Perth. Speaking with Defence Connect, EOS executive vice president Lee Kormany discusses several of the company's latest announcements, counter-drone treads internationally, domestic manufacturing and the increasing global shortages in proximity fuse ammunition
CONTESTED GROUND: The information advantage – how AI is reshaping influence, competition and power
Information has always shaped power and influence – but in the age of artificial intelligence, the speed, scale and sophistication with which narratives can be created and deployed has changed dramatically. In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson explore how the tradecraft of information warfare is increasingly intersecting with th
Next-generation equipment at Land Forces 2026, with Aquaterro's Graeme Bulte
SIG Sauer's newly unveiled P385 pistol makes its international debut at Land Forces 2026 in Perth, with Australian defence company Aquaterro showcasing the new weapon alongside the M8 carbine. Speaking with Defence Connect, Aquaterro founder and managing director Graeme Bulte discusses the P385's capabilities, its compatibility with the existing P320 magazine and what the new pistol could mean fo
SPOTLIGHT: Defence electronics supply chains, counterfeit components and shortages
How are global electronics shortages, AI-driven demand and counterfeit components reshaping Australia's defence supply chain Speaking with Defence Connect Spotlight news editor Robert Dougherty, Astute Group marketing director Mark Shanley, IntelliDesign head of business development Frank Harrington and Moog Australia director of industry development Neil Fitzpatrick discuss the challenges facing
CYBER UNCUT: AI agents, Medicare, and the dangers of getting an LLM drunk
Cyber Uncut returns with an AI hacking incident at Medicare, ransomware drama, banking breaches, and the surprisingly serious security lessons from getting AI "drunk". Would you let an AI agent apply for a loan on your behalf? New research suggests 59 per cent of Australians would – but Cyber Daily's David Hollingworth and Banking Daily's Daniel Croft aren't convinced. The pair break down the gro
AUKUS, China and Australia's defence industrial future, with former prime minister Scott Morrison
Australia's strategic environment is changing rapidly, but defence procurement and industry must move faster to keep pace. Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty, former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison discusses the five-year evolution of AUKUS, Australia's defence industrial base, China's economic and strategic influence, critical minerals and the need to accelerate
CONTESTED GROUND: When AI goes rogue – the emerging threat Australia isn't ready for
Artificial intelligence promises to transform productivity, business and government – but what happens when the technology starts making decisions its human operators never intended? In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Phil Tarrant is joined by Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson to examine the rapidly emerging security risks surrounding AI, from autonomous agents exploiting vul
CYBER UNCUT: Bringing networking and security together to cut cyber risk
HPE's Matt Hanmer says organisations must break down the traditional divide between network and security teams as AI accelerates attacks and infrastructure becomes increasingly distributed. Organisations need to bring network and security operations together to keep pace with increasingly distributed infrastructure and faster-moving cyber threats, according to HPE APJ regional director Matt Hanme
Frontier AI, cyber warfare, and defending Australia's military networks, with Wendi Whitmore and Tom Scully
How is AI reshaping the cyber threat landscape, and how can the defence industry respond to new threats giving attackers unprecedented speed and scale? Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty, Palo Alto Networks chief security intelligence officer Wendi Whitmore and industry principal Tom Scully discuss the rise of frontier AI and its implications for military networks, critica
Australia's 2026 Intergenerational Report and national security implications, with Phillip Tarrant and Robert Dougherty
Defence Connect co-hosts Phil Tarrant and news editor Robert Dougherty discuss the latest developments shaping Australia's defence industry and national security environment. The pair examine Australia's recently released 2026 Intergenerational Report, defence workforce requirements, and preparations for Land Forces 2026. The podcast conversation includes the following topics: The long-term impl
CONTESTED GROUND: AUKUS, deterrence, and the deepening Australia–UK strategic partnership
Australia and the United Kingdom share one of the world's deepest strategic relationships – but in an increasingly contested geopolitical environment, that partnership is taking on new significance. In this episode of Contested Ground, Phillip Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson are joined by acting British high commissioner to Australia Dr Brian Jones to unpack the future of AUK
SPOTLIGHT: Unlocking Australia's Defence estate through divestment, with Stantec Australia
Australia's plan to divest 68 surplus Defence sites presents an opportunity to reduce estate costs while creating new housing, industrial, community, and environmental outcomes, according to Stantec Australia's Tony Rogers, Leigh McDonald, and Nick Glasson. The Defence estate spans around 3.5 million hectares, with the government identifying sites that are underutilised or surplus to future Defenc
CONTESTED GROUND: Is Australia ready to secure its place in an increasingly contested space domain?
Phil Tarrant is joined by Space Industry Association of Australia CEO Dan Lloyd and chairman Darin Lovett to examine Australia's growing dependence on space and the strategic implications of an increasingly contested space domain. They unpack the critical role space plays across Australia's economy and national security, from positioning, navigation and timing, and communications to defence, tran
CYBER UNCUT: AI transforms physical security from cost centre to business enabler
Genetec's Lee Shelford says AI and cloud are giving security teams faster investigations while turning physical security systems into tools for broader business operations. Organisations should stop treating AI as a box-ticking exercise and focus on where it can deliver measurable operational gains, according to Genetec's Lee Shelford. Speaking on the Cyber Uncut podcast with David Hollingworth,
THE PROGRESS REPORT: Building the future – Viviene Beins on aerospace engineering, women, and Australia's defence industry
Breaking barriers and building the skills needed to shape the future of Australia's aerospace and defence industries. RMIT University aerospace engineering and logistics supply chain student Viviene Beins shares her experience competing in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Design/Build/Fly competition in the US, where she helped lead the composite manufacturing of an aircraft
Australian defence industry faces a changing strategic landscape, with Phillip Tarrant and Robert Dougherty
Defence Connect relaunches our podcast with co-host Phil Tarrant, joined by news editor Robert Dougherty, to discuss the latest developments shaping Australia's defence industry. The pair discuss defence spending, AUKUS, sovereign capability, emerging technologies, and the growing strategic importance of Western Australia. The podcast conversation includes the following topics: Australia's defen
CONTESTED GROUND: Is Australia slowly regulating away its own prosperity – and, with it, its national resilience?
Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson examine the growing debate over Australia's economic direction, drawing on Chris Uhlmann's recent article in The Australian on the "Argentinisation" of Australia. They unpack the risks posed by weak productivity, rising regulation, higher costs, and falling investment – and ask what sustained economic underperformance could mean for housin
SPOTLIGHT: Building an integrated ADF through cloud and emerging technology, with Jonathon Beesley and Richard Campbell
Australia's emerging defence technology priorities will only deliver their full potential if they are integrated into a broader operational framework connecting platforms, people, data and decision making, according to Microsoft global defence and intelligence solutions manager Jonathon Beesley and Atturra defence lead Richard Campbell, chief executive officer of SME Gateway. The 2026 Defence Inn
Australia's defence procurement is narrowing and becoming less resilient, with 127 East Advisory's Colin Storey
Australia's defence industry faces a period of growing consolidation and uncertainty, how is past procurement impacting national security of the future? Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty, 127 East Advisory director Colin Storey, a former head of growth at Raytheon and Royal Australian Navy patrol boat navigator, discusses his analysis of major defence contracts awarded ov
Australia's UGV dilemma and why land autonomy remains stuck in the mud, with Stephen Bornstein
Australia's push to develop autonomous ground systems has delivered promising prototypes and live-fire demonstrations, but land-based autonomy remains outside the Australian Defence Force's current priorities. Speaking with news editor Robert Dougherty, Sightline Intelligence managing director Stephen Bornstein discusses the challenges facing Australia's emerging uncrewed ground vehicles sector a
CYBER UNCUT: AI is forcing banks to rethink modernisation, with Atos' Dee Lawler and Matthew Hughes
AI is pushing financial institutions to modernise, but the answer is not to replace everything. Banks should focus on the technology, data, and processes that directly support business outcomes. AI is putting modernisation back on the executive agenda as legacy systems increasingly limit banks' ability to adopt AI, access data in real time, and respond to regulatory and resilience demands. Atos e
SPOTLIGHT: Building resilience against next-generation cyber threats, with Fortinet
Cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated, AI enabled and difficult to attribute, creating growing risks for Australia's defence networks, critical infrastructure and broader economy, according to Glenn Maiden, chief security officer and director of threat intelligence for Australia and New Zealand at Fortinet. The cyber threat landscape is increasingly blurring the lines between stat
CYBER UNCUT: AI is forcing banks to rethink modernisation, with Atos' Dee Lawler and Matthew Hughes
AI is pushing financial institutions to modernise, but the answer is not to replace everything. Banks should focus on the technology, data, and processes that directly support business outcomes. AI is putting modernisation back on the executive agenda as legacy systems increasingly limit banks' ability to adopt AI, access data in real time, and respond to regulatory and resilience demands. Atos e
CYBER UNCUT: Big 4 banks back local AI, NSW Health responds to hack claims, and PEXA's Graham Fairley explains property scams
Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth break down the essential AI and security news of the week, from sovereign capability to cyber crime, and fighting property scams. Hollingworth and Croft open the podcast with a breakdown of why Australian banks are standing up a new partnership program to promote the growth and adoption of local AI innovators – and explain why it's an important step in Australi
SPOTLIGHT: Quantum technology could reshape Australia's defence advantage, with Fujitsu Australia
Quantum technology could become a major force multiplier for Australia's future defence capabilities, according to Kendy Hau, head of defence at Fujitsu Australia, and Mahesh Krishnan, chief technology officer for Australia and New Zealand at Fujitsu Australia. Quantum technology spans three key areas: quantum sensing, quantum communications, and quantum computing, each at different stages of mat
Digital engineering, GWEO, and the future of guided weapons, with Australian Missile Corporation and Dassault Systèmes
How can digital engineering help Australia deliver faster, more capable, guided weapons programs? In this special episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, news editor Robert Dougherty is joined by Dan Christie, chief technology officer and CEO of Australian Missile Corporation (AMC), and Pierre Marchadier, vice president of value engagement industry consultant at Dassault Systèmes. The pair discus
CONTESTED GROUND: Is Australia's political discontent becoming a national security problem?
A dramatic political shift in Western Australia has put the major parties on notice and raised a much bigger question: what happens to Australia's national resilience when voters stop trusting the institutions that govern them? Hosts Phillip Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson examine the rise of populism in Australia and why growing political polarisation, cost-of-living pressur
SPOTLIGHT: The hidden defence advantage of Australia's commercial logistics network
Australia's commercial logistics network could become one of its greatest defence advantages, according to Steve Roughsedge, senior vice-president of Theatre Supply Chain within the government and defence division of Toll Group. The shift from peacetime efficiency to resilience is already reshaping how the Australian Defence Force thinks about logistics. Australia's vast distances, limited transp
CYBER UNCUT: AI advice woes, Aussie auto dealers under attack, and sweeping changes coming to Facebook
Join David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft for this week's round-up of cyber security and artificial intelligence news! The pair kick things off with the startling revelation that young Australians are turning to AI for their financial advice, as cost-of-living pressures bite. Can AI help get your finances in line? The jury is very definitely out. Then it's on to the impact of cyber crime on Austra
The broad church – why Pine Gap remains the focal point of Australia's anti-bases movement
Recent public backlash over the suspected involvement of Pine Gap in the ongoing conflict with Iran has once again raised concerns about Australia's sovereignty, its status as an "imperial" province or valued partner and the future of Pine Gap and other US bases in the country. The 300-person gathering at Pine Gap in Alice Springs signals a periodic spike rather than a structural acceleration of
SPOTLIGHT: From assembly to manufacturing – how Port Wakefield transforms Australian missile capability
Port Wakefield is not a replica of Camden. This distinction matters enormously. James Heading, director and general manager for missiles and fire control at Lockheed Martin Australia, has spent 18 months driving that message home to critics who dismiss the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System operation as mere assembly. The risk reduction activity that concluded with successful live-fire testing e
CYBER UNCUT: s your Microsoft 365 tenant really secure? With CoreView's Andrew McAllister
Microsoft 365 is the backbone of many Australian businesses – but are organisations doing enough to secure the platform itself? Tune in to David Hollingworth and CoreView's vice president of APAC sales, Andrew McAllister, as they tackle the risks and what businesses can do to build genuine resilience. Microsoft 365 may be ubiquitous, but that doesn't mean it is secure by default. Hollingworth and
Drones over Williamtown, radar exports and Australia's evolving defence partnerships
How can Australia strengthen the protection of critical defence infrastructure while navigating the modern drone-heavy environment? In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Stephen Kuper and Robert Dougherty unpack a series of developments across Australia's defence and national security landscape, including drone incursions over RAAF Base Williamtown, the expansion of Australia's first-per
SPOTLIGHT: Cyber loyal wingmen – how frontier AI transforms Defence from defender disadvantage to asymmetric advantage
An adversary's numerical advantage is something Australia faces across all domains, but the cyber domain is one area where Australia can offset that advantage, building true asymmetric capabilities. The cyber battlespace has undergone a step change with the arrival of frontier AI models. What took penetration testers two years to accomplish, Tom Scully from Palo Alto Networks completed in three w
SPOTLIGHT: Building Australia's missing middle – how DIDS reshapes defence industry economics
Australia's 2026 Defence Industry Development Strategy (DIDS) signals a significant shift in how Defence acquires capability, moving beyond traditional procurement models towards earlier collaboration with industry and a greater focus on innovation, software and continuous capability development. The 2026 Defence Industry Development Strategy marks a doctrinal shift in how Australia approaches def
CYBER UNCUT: Why cyber security's basics still matter in the age of AI, with ThreatLocker's Keiran Human
Malicious browser extensions, AI-powered phishing, and the evolution of Australia's Essential Eight are all putting renewed focus on proactive cyber defence. Hear ThreatLocker's lead cyber security engineer, Kieran Human, explain why organisations need to get the basics right before attackers get the chance to exploit them. Malicious browser extensions are giving attackers another route into corp
THE PROGRESS REPORT: Against the tide – Captain Mona Shindy on gender, culture and change in the Royal Australian Navy
Someone has to take the plunge and shoulder the burden. A pioneer forging the path for the future generations of women in the Australian Defence Force, no matter the consequences. Royal Australian Navy Captain (Ret'd) Mona Shindy shares her unique journey serving in the Royal Australian Navy as a warship weapons engineer, becoming one of the first three women to serve on an Australian warship, bei
UK–Australia defence cooperation, GCAP and CEA advanced radar, with UK Minister Luke Pollard
How can the UK and Australia deepen defence industry cooperation while balancing high-end capabilities with Ukrainian-style affordable mass? In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, senior journalist Robert Dougherty is joined by UK Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard during his current visit to Australia. Minister Pollard is undertaking a broader tour of the country's
CYBER UNCUT: Inside the OT threat landscape, with Dragos' field CTO APAC, Alex Nehmy
In this episode of Cyber Uncut, Cyber Daily's Liam Garman is joined by Alex Nehmy, who explains why securing critical infrastructure requires a different approach to traditional IT security. Discover why operational technology has become one of the highest-value targets for sophisticated threat actors, how attacks on OT differ from conventional data breaches, and why visibility into industrial en
From hardware to algorithms – how Defence is embedding AI into warfare without surrendering human accountability
Defence's chief data officer and AI strategist explain how autonomy reshapes decision making while keeping commanders accountable for outcomes The Australian Defence Force's approach to artificial intelligence and autonomous systems is not a rush towards unmanned warfare, it is a disciplined pivot toward decision-aid systems that augment human judgement rather than replace it. Speaking ahead of
CONTESTED GROUND: Weak, vulnerable, backwater – Australia's choice between strategic camps and managed decline
Dr Ross Babbage warns that without urgent economic reform and industrial recalibration, Australia risks becoming a client state of Beijing. Returning to the Defence Connect Podcast, strategic analyst Dr Ross Babbage delivers an unsparing diagnosis: Australia is drifting towards a future of strategic weakness, economic vulnerability and de facto dependence on Beijing – unless the nation urgently re
Undersea dominance – Australia charts the maritime future through autonomous systems and AUKUS innovation
Australia's next strategic edge will be built beneath the waves, combining autonomous systems, artificial intelligence and AUKUS cooperation to reshape the underwater battlespace. In a special Defence Connect Podcast episode recorded for the ADSTAR 2026 summit, Admiral Stephen Hughes, on the eve of his retirement, and Chief of Air and Maritime Dr Ninh Duong outline how the succession of Defence S
CYBER UNCUT: Aussie AI, 900k impacted by Origin hack, Victorian courts breached, and eSafety v Telegram
In this week's podcast, Cyber Daily's Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth argue for sovereign Australian AI, catch up with the Origin Energy data breach, uncover a Court Services Victoria hack, and ponder the efficacy of taking a foreign chat platform to court over terror content. Should Aussie banks have access to Australian Taxation Office data to stop fraud? That's how the podcast kicks off, a
Australian Army Cadets pathways, submarine industry growth and Australia's fuel security
How can Australia strengthen its future defence workforce while building sovereign industrial capability across shipbuilding, sustainment and advanced military technology? In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Stephen Kuper, Robert Dougherty and Bethany Alvaro unpack a series of developments across Australia's defence and industrial landscape, including new pathways into higher educatio
CYBER UNCUT: OpenAI model goes rogue, Origin Energy hacked, and Victoria takes aim at online bullies
In this week's podcast, Cyber Daily's Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth cover what happens when AI goes wild, one of Australia's biggest energy providers discloses a data breach, and Premier Jacinta Allan goes after big tech. The podcast kicks off with a massive data breach impacting AI music-generating platform Suno, and the implications of OpenAI admitting it was one of its AI agents responsi
CONTESTED GROUND: The blind faith factor – why Australians trust an ADF they don't understand
As global security deteriorates, a major new UNSW Canberra survey reveals a startling paradox in the Australian psyche: unwavering trust in the Australian Defence Force, coupled with a deep misunderstanding of its operations, widespread apathy towards increased funding, and a shocking drop in support for traditional alliances. Australia's relationship with the ADF is reaching a strange inflection
Defence preparedness, artificial intelligence productivity, and Australian industrial resilience
How prepared is Australia for a more contested strategic environment, and what role can defence industry, emerging technology, and economic resilience play in strengthening national security? In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Stephen Kuper, Robert Dougherty, and Bethany Alvaro unpack key insights from the inaugural Australian Defence Industry Accelerator Summit and the Australian Def
CYBER UNCUT: AI won't replace security teams – it will decide whether they keep you, with Securonix's Ajay Biyani
Join Cyber Daily's David Hollingworth and Securonix's senior vice president for Asia-Pacific and Japan, Ajay Biyani, to break down why the challenge for organisations isn't replacing analysts – it's giving them the tools they need. Security operations centres are under unprecedented pressure as cyber attacks become faster, more sophisticated and increasingly powered by AI. At the same time, securi
CONTESTED GROUND: Shots fired! Chinese missile test shatters Australia's "fog of peace", with Mike Pezzullo
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
SPOTLIGHT: Counter-drone innovation, directed energy and delivering operational outcomes, with EOS Defence Systems' Lee Kormany
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 a
CYBER UNCUT: Trust is the new attack surface, with ThreatLocker APAC director of operations Emile Barakat
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,
Strengthening security ties, Fiji defence pact and Australia's counter-drone push
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 A
CONTESTED GROUND: Lessons from the UK in political polarisation, generational dislocation and intergenerational warfare, with Ben Dullroy, Bravo Delta Advisory
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 r
CYBER UNCUT: Why cyber security's next battle will be won by speed, with Qualys CEO Sumedh Thakar
Qualys' CEO joins the Cyber Uncut podcast to explain why autonomous remediation, smarter patching, and risk-based security will define the next generation of cyber defence. Cyber security is entering a new era as powerful AI models dramatically reduce the time it takes attackers to discover and exploit vulnerabilities. In this episode, Qualys CEO Sumedh Thakar joins Cyber Daily's Liam Garman to e
Defence Industry Development Strategy, Defence reform and Australians fighting in Ukraine
Questions remain about how Australia and its partners can respond to a deteriorating strategic environment while balancing capability development, industrial resilience and evolving security threats. In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Stephen Kuper and Robert Dougherty discuss a week of major developments across defence and national security, spanning the war in Ukraine, Indo-Pacific
CONTESTED GROUND: Budget backlash – has Australia lost its political middle ground?
As Australia faces a populist political surge and the established political parties continue to lose ground, can Australia's "sensible" centre hold, or will decades of failed policies, broken promises and declining economic opportunities finally come home to roost? In a departure from its usual international focus, Contested Ground turns to domestic tensions sparked by the federal budget. The hos
CYBER UNCUT: Beware AI and influencers, NSW Rural Fire Service hacked, and say goodbye to the Essential Eight!
This week, Cyber Uncut looks at important tax time advice, a string of Aussie hacks that have exposed sensitive personal information, and the Australian Signals Directorate's decision to retire the Essential Eight. CPA Australia has a warning this tax time, and that is to be very aware of taking tax advice from AI chatbots and financial influencers. An AI hallucination could cost you real money, s
CONTESTED GROUND: Australia's sovereign capability reckoning – why the system is no longer fit for purpose
Host Steve Kuper is joined by former navy logistician Dave Grosvenor and chair of the Gravity Group Steve Hayes for a wide-ranging discussion on Australia's sovereign capability, industrial resilience and the growing gap between strategic risk and national preparedness in this episode of the Contested Ground podcast. The conversation opens with a blunt assessment of Australia's strategic vulnerabi
Defence export ambitions, drone technology and defence manufacturing hubs
Questions remain around how Australia can grow sovereign capability while responding to evolving strategic challenges. In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Stephen Kuper, Robert Dougherty and Bethany Alvaro discuss a busy week across defence and industry, including Australia's record $2.5 billion defence export deal with Canada and what it means for future international partnerships. Th
Offshore manufacturing, defence procurement and industrial resilience, with Philippe Odouard and David McLaughlin
How can Australia strengthen sovereign industrial capability while building a sustainable and globally competitive defence manufacturing sector? In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, senior journalist Robert Dougherty is joined by Philippe Odouard, former CEO of XTEK (now HighCom) and Quickstep, alongside David McLaughlin, co-founder and chief technology officer of 3D scanning technolog
CYBER UNCUT: Anthropic blocks Fable 5, Mackay Sugar tackles cyber attack, and the AFP gets tough on cyber crime
This week, Cyber Uncut looks at the launch – and the blocking – of Anthropic's latest AI models, a raft of cyber attacks on Aussie organisations, and praises the Australian Federal Police for its work at home and abroad. AI giant Anthropic had a tough week recently. It launched its most advanced AI model yet, only to have the US government force it to block access. Cyber Daily's David Hollingwort
SPOTLIGHT: Cyber warfare, autonomy and the future of defence, with Palo Alto Networks' Tom Scully and MAJ GEN (Ret'd) John Davis
How is artificial intelligence changing the world of modern defence operations, cyber security and military decision making? In this episode of the Defence Connect Spotlight podcast, host Steve Kuper is joined by Palo Alto Networks' Tom Scully, director and principal architect for government and critical industries Asia-Pacific and Japan, and US Army Major General (Ret'd) John Davis, vice presiden
CONTESTED GROUND: Fortune favours the bold – building a national security strategy for the 21st century, with Marc Ablong
When Opposition Leader Angus Taylor announced a Coalition government would develop and implement a national security strategy, many shouted, "Finally!", but delivering a strategy that is fit for purpose is more political than most would think. Since the release of the nation's first whole-of-nation national security strategy in 2013, successive Australian governments have sought to mask the nati
CYBER UNCUT: ThreatLocker's Emile Barakat talks Essential Eight, cyber policy, and security as a human challenge
ThreatLocker's APAC director of operations, Emile Barakat, joins Cyber Daily's David Hollingworth to discuss what makes the Essential Eight so essential, the federal government's budget spend on cyber security, and the Australian outlook on cyber crime and why it happens here. This week on the Cyber Uncut podcast, Cyber Daily deputy editor David Hollingworth speaks with Emile Barakat, the head of
Developing Australia's ability to take a hit and keep fighting, with the honourable Andrew Hastie MP, shadow minister for industry and sovereign capability
Many critics often describe Australia's glaring lack of industrial and economic complexity as a major national security challenge, while others see it as a glass jaw impacting our ability to sustain ourselves in a fight or crisis. So, what is needed? This glaring gap in our national resilience and survivability has increasingly figured in commentary and analysis as the Indo-Pacific emerges as the
