In this very special episode of the podcast (the final recording of 2018), Allan and Darren interview Dennis Richardson, one of the most distinguished public servants in Australia’s history. Dennis is the only person to have served in the following positions: Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister (Bob Hawke); Director General of Security (including during the 9/11 attacks); Australian Ambassador to the United States; and Secretary to both the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of Defence.
Dennis and Allan both joined the then Department of External Affairs as graduates in 1969 and, as you will hear, much has changed, and much is still the same! Dennis offers his thoughts on a wide-ranging set of issues including the centralisation and securitsation of foreign policy, an assessment of the United States under Trump, the “economics versus security” debate in Australia, and what qualities political leaders need to be successful in navigating today’s complex world.
A reminder: 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
We give our warmest thanks to outgoing AIIA interns Stephanie Rowell and Mani Bovell for their stellar support in helping us launch the podcast. We also thank Martyn Pearce of the ANU’s Crawford School, Rory Stenning for composing our theme music, and AIIA CEO Melissa Conley-Tyler.
Stay tuned for new episodes in the weeks ahead!
Ep. 110: Ukraine, one year on
Ep. 109: Balloons; FM’s UK speech; France 2+2; DM on sovereignty
Ep. 108: PM in PNG; duelling ambassadors; reviewing 2022
Ep. 107: Assistant Foreign Minister Tim Watts
Ep. 106: FM’s DC speech; 2+2s ; a polycrisis?
Ep. 105: G20/Xi bilaterals; FM/DM speeches; midterms
Ep. 104: 20th Party Congress; export controls; Australia-Japan
Ep. 103: Nuclear escalation; UNGA meetings; Track 1.5s
Ep. 102: A formal statement on China? Australia’s head of state
Ep. 101: Taiwan
Ep. 100: Foreign Minister Penny Wong
Ep. 99: Much travel & many speeches; PRC meeting; PIF; Lowy poll
Ep. 98: A (very) busy first few weeks
Ep. 97: Incoming government brief, 2022 edition
Ep. 96: Campaign foreign policy lessons; AUKUS leaks?
Ep. 95: Solomon Islands and China enter a security pact
Ep. 94: Pre-election foreign policy speeches by Morrison and Albanese
Ep. 93: The invasion of Ukraine and updating priors
Ep. 92: Our own foreign policy election “debate”
Ep. 91: Ukraine
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