We are very excited to bring you a special interview this episode with Rebecca Skinner, Associate Secretary of Australia’s Department of Defence, and therefore one of the most senior women working on Australia’s national security. It is a wide-ranging conversation that covers topics including the nature of the Associate Secretary role, civil-military relationships inside the department, the never-ending question of reform, gender issues, and contrasts between private and public sector organisations. Allan and Darren also pose big picture questions on the disrupted strategic environment and how to better integrate Australia’s national security community. On the lighter side, the $400 ash tray from the TV show “The West Wing” and (perhaps) its Australian equivalent – a flute – also come up.
As always, we invite our listeners to email us at this address: australia.world.pod@gmail.com We welcome feedback, requests and suggestions. You can also contact Darren on twitter @limdarrenj
Our thanks go to AIIA intern Charlie Henshall for his help with audio editing, Rory Stenning for composing our theme music, and Martyn Pearce for technical assistance in setting up this episode.
Relevant links
Rebecca Skinner’s biography: http://defence.gov.au/leaders/MsRebeccaSkinner.asp
The West Wing: “Four hundred dollar ashtray”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R9kH_HOUXM
Ep. 90: Lessons from 2021; expectations and hopes for 2022
Ep. 89: Democracy summit; S. Korea visit; Olympic boycott; communicating foreign policy
Ep. 88: Biden/Xi; Dutton/Wong; COP26; Solomon Islands
Ep. 87: On truth and trust in diplomacy (Morrison vs Macron)
Ep. 86: Global Trends 2040 (Part 2), with Heather Smith and Katherine Mansted
Ep. 85: Global Trends 2040 (Part 1), with Heather Smith and Katherine Mansted
Ep. 84: AUKUS revisited; Quad leaders; China & CPTPP; Taiwan
Ep. 83: Debating AUKUS—Deterrence, sovereignty and risk
Ep. 82: Afghanistan evacuation; US alliance at 70; ministerial meetings; 9/11 reflections
Ep. 81: Gary Quinlan (Part 2): Australia-Indonesia relations, ASEAN, and the future of multilateralism
Ep. 80: Gary Quinlan (Part 1): On Indonesia in the world, and diplomacy in a time of COVID-19
Ep. 79: Afghanistan
Ep. 78: New DFAT Secretary; Exchange hack and Pegasus; APEC; return to Afghanistan?
Ep. 77: Debating democracy and the “competition of systems”
Ep. 76: Morrison’s Perth speech; PM Lee’s China advice; an energised G7; bilaterals with UK & France
Ep. 75: PM to NZ; Samoa; Kabul embassy closure; Belarus; lab leak
Ep. 74: Linda Jakobson (Part 2): Australia-China relations; Taiwan
Ep. 73: Linda Jakobson (Part 1): On China, Chinese politics, and Finlandisation
Ep. 72: Leaving Afghanistan; Aust-NZ-China relations; Biden-Suga summit
Ep. 71: Myanmar—tragedy, complexity & power; PNG & Covid-19; Dutton to Defence
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