Defence & Security Podcast Network

ADF promotions, Middle East aftershocks and dreaded Defence budget cuts

Can Australia balance the cost of expanding its drone-based attack and defence capabilities on a shoestring budget? Industry is rightly worried about possible cost cuts. In an editorial discussion for this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Stephen Kuper, Robert Dougherty and Bethany Alvaro take a run at a burgeoning week of news across Australia's defence landscape and how international conflict in the Middle East is rippling outwards to pressure fuel supplies Down Under. The team also examines the recent promotion of Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AO RAN to become the next chief of the Defence Force and the appointment of Lieutenant General Susan Coyle AM CSC DSM as the next chief of the Australian Army, the first woman to hold the position. The conversation then explores the newly signed Major Defense Cooperation Partnership agreement and joint special forces training between hardline governments in the US and Indonesia. Turning to defence industry, the panel puts a speculative spotlight on dreaded Defence budget cuts and reallocations under the release of the new National Defence Strategy. Finally, the team tackles new ship manufacturing updates in Sydney around the Royal Australian Navy's Hunter Class frigate program. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team  

How PowerWater's CISO embeds cyber security into business strategy from day 1

Some boards consider cyber security an IT problem. Others see it as a cost. However, Dominic Grunden, CISO at PowerWater, works with department leads to embed cyber security into business strategy from day one: making safety, security, and compliance a business enabler. Ahead of this year's Australian Cyber Summit, Australia's premier cyber security conference and awards, Liam Garman sits down with Grunden to discuss how cyber leaders can communicate strategy to C-suite executives. To hear more about how CISOs are reforming risk and business strategy, secure your tickets for the Australian Cyber Summit here. Grunden dives into how he embeds cyber security into business strategy and how cyber leaders can collaborate with department heads to ensure that security is not a last-minute bottleneck for business growth. From translating complex threats into decisions executives actually act on, to balancing innovation with protection in one of Australia's most high-stakes infrastructure environments: this is a critical conversation business leaders need to have. Want to hear Grunden live? Secure your tickets to the Australian Cyber Summit here.

CONTESTED GROUND: Successive governments have failed to prepare Australia for the era of polycrisis, with Marc Ablong PSM, Geostrategic Risk Partners

In the latest episode of the special Contested Ground series unpacking the fallout and implications of the conflict in the Middle East, host Steve Kuper is joined by geostrategic analyst and former Defence policymaker Marc Ablong PSM as they interrogate the nation's preparedness, the era of polycrisis and mobilisation in the modern era. As part of this, the pair deep dive into what makes a "polycrisis" and why it feels like Australia and Australians are seemingly paddling from one storm to another, both at home and abroad, undermining our national resilience and the nation's capacity to rally in the event of major regional crisis. They then move on to dissect the challenges of contemporary mobilisation being faced by Australia and like-minded nations across Europe and the United Kingdom, specifically the issues surrounding social cohesion, economic, political and social dislocation and atomisation among young Australians that directly impact national security and resilience. Finally, the pair discuss Australia's glaring lack of compelling narrative and plan to rally Australians of all generations that leave many feeling like Australia is inescapably caught in a period of managed decline, at a time when the nation's economic, political and strategic security and prosperity faces increasing tension and challenge. Enjoy the podcast, The Contested Ground team

SPOTLIGHT: Crewed, uncrewed, mass and increasing contemporary maritime combat capabilities, with Kevin 'Q' Quarderer of Leidos Australia and MAJGEN (Ret'd) Mick Ryan

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine's masterful use of autonomous and uncrewed systems have demonstrated the need for a structural rethink about how Australia and its partners build and deliver contemporary naval power. Iran and Ukraine have successfully demonstrated, to varying degrees, the shift currently transforming contemporary naval warfare, raising questions about the future of modern naval power. In this episode of the Defence Connect Spotlight series, host Steve Kuper is joined by Leidos Australia's Kevin "Q" Quarderer and Major General (Ret'd) Mick Ryan as they deep dive into the fallout of the conflict in the Middle East and the lessons Australia can learn from the conflict. The trio unpack the successful USV raids conducted by Ukraine against the Russian Black Sea Fleet and the importance of investing in these emerging capabilities as a powerful, adaptable and attritable force multiplier that can be delivered at speed and scale. They also discuss the evolution of contemporary naval force design and the hybridisation of crewed and uncrewed forces as a means of offsetting adversarial advantages, including how nuclear-powered submarines, partnering with the autonomous and uncrewed systems, will shape the future of the Australian Navy. Finally, they interrogate the shortfalls to date and Australia's policy towards the acceptance, fielding and training with uncrewed and autonomous systems and moving away from a risk-averse approach to changing with the times and why that needs to change. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect Spotlight team

CYBER UNCUT: AI to change banking forever, Iranian cyber attacks, and Australia to tackle DPRK fake IT workers

David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft tackle the week's stories that matter, from predictions of dire disruption to the banking industry, Iranian cyber warfare, North Korean hackers in our code, and Americans and Aussies partnering up to combat North Korean hackers. Artificial intelligence, says JP Morgan's boss, is going to change banking forever, while at the same time, Atlassian is laying off staff in order to fund its AI developments. There's no doubt AI is the fox in the henhouse right now, and Hollingworth and Croft take a hard look at where things really stand. Then it's on to cyber security, with pro-Iran hackers targeting critical infrastructure and North Korean hackers getting inside the code every developer relies upon. These are two massive challenges for network defenders, and every CISO needs to understand the stakes at play. Finally, sticking with North Korea, there is some good news – Australia and the United States are now working together to fight back against the scourge of fake IT workers infiltrating our workplaces to fund weapons research and steal intellectual property. Just another week in cyber security. Enjoy, The Cyber Uncut Team