Is America retreating from global leadership?

Is this just a temporary wave of tension in the bilateral relationship, or might it signal a broader, long-term shift?

Are the current AUKUS debates in Australia cutting through in the US?

In this episode, John Blaxland joins David Andrews to discuss Australia’s relationship with the US, and why he believes we’re well placed to withstand the instabilities of Trump’s second term in office.

John Blaxland is Director of the North America Liaison Office and Professor of International Security and Intelligence Studies at The Australian National University.

David Andrews is Senior Manager, Policy & Engagement at the ANU National Security College

TRANSCRIPT

Show notes

• Nuclear Matters podcast
• The Secret Cold War: The Official History of ASIO, 1975-1989 by John Blaxland and Rhys Crawley
• Australia’s American Alliance edited by Peter J Dean, Stephan Frühling & Brendan Taylor
• More from the National Security Podcast on this topic: Security in transition: Trump’s America, alliances, and global stability

We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes. 

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How has Australia’s security landscape changed over the last decade?

How was the Indo-Pacific concept born, and how has it evolved?

What are the biggest threats facing Australia right now?

In this episode, Rory Medcalf joins David Andrews to look back on the past decade in which he has served as Head of the ANU National Security College (NSC). They discuss the evolution of global threats over this period and how NSC has shifted its work to respond.

Professor Rory Medcalf AM is Head of NSC. His professional experience spans more than three decades across diplomacy, intelligence analysis, think tanks, journalism and academia.

David Andrews is Senior Manager, Policy & Engagement at NSC

TRANSCRIPT

Show notes

• Nuclear Matters podcast
• ANU National Security College initiatives
• NSC Community Consultations
• Contest for the Indo-Pacific: Why China Won’t Map the Future
• Senator the Hon Marise Payne, then Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Senator the Hon Penny Wong, then Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs launch Contest for the Indo-Pacific
• Professor Medcalf’s first speech at NSC, March 2015
• Speech: Mapping our Indo-Pacific future, June 2018
• Speech: Making sense of national security, December 2022
• Speech: Australian resilience and preparedness in the new world disorder, May 2025

We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes.

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What impact will US and Israeli air strikes on Iran have on global non-proliferation efforts?

How is Trump reshaping the US's leadership in nuclear non-proliferation?

Could shifting international security dynamics encourage countries like South Korea or Japan to pursue nuclear weapons programs?

In this episode, Michael Cohen and Maria Rost Rublee join David Andrews to discuss how recent strikes on Iran have brought nuclear non-proliferation back to the forefront of international policy debates.

Michael Cohen is Associate Professor and Academic Director at the ANU National Security College (NSC)

Maria Rost Rublee is Professor of International Relations at the University of Melbourne and an Executive Committee member of Women in Nuclear-Australia

David Andrews is Senior Manager, Policy & Engagement at NSC

TRANSCRIPT

Show notes

• Nuclear Matters podcast
• Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
• Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW)
• International Atomic Energy Agency
• Nuclear Suppliers Group

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What are some of the challenges societies face because of mis- and disinformation during disaster response?

How can Australia adapt to deal with these challenges? What lessons can we learn from incidents around the world?

What does the future look like if we don't adapt to this changing environment?

In this episode, Jodie Wrigley, Anthony Bradstreet, and Allison Curtis join David Andrews to discuss the evolving challenges posed by mis- and disinformation in crisis response scenarios.

Jodie Wrigley is Partner and Head of Social Change at SenateSHJ.

Anthony Bradstreet is the Chief Customer Officer at Safe365 Global.

Allison Curtis is the Deputy Executive Director of the Strong Cities Network.

David Andrews is Senior Manager, Policy & Engagement at the ANU National Security College.

TRANSCRIPT

Show notes

• Nuclear Matters podcast
• Community Consultations

We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes.

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Where do the other Middle East countries and the Gulf nations stand on the Iran-Israel conflict? How do they view the US’ changing foreign policy?

What were the motivations behind the recent US and Israeli attacks on Iran? Was it preventive or pre-emptive action?

Is regime change in Iran a realistic objective by Israel/US?

Could Australia be asked to support future US military or strategic actions in the region?

In this episode, Jessie Moritz and Ian Parmeter join David Andrews in discussion about the unfolding conflicts in the Middle East and their consequences for the future of regional and global security.

Dr Jessie Moritz is a Senior Lecturer at the ANU Centre for Arabic and Islamic Studies.

Ian Parmeter is a research scholar and PhD candidate at the ANU Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies.

David Andrews is the Senior Manager, Policy & Engagement at the ANU National Security College.

TRANSCRIPT

Show notes

• NSC academic programs – find out more
• Ian Parmeter: The US has entered the Israel-Iran war. Here are 3 scenarios for what might happen next
• Ian Parmeter: Netanyahu has two war aims: destroying Iran’s nuclear program and regime change. Are either achievable?
• Jessie Moritz: A shaky ceasefire; where now for Iran's leadership? And Stan Grant's new life on country
• Jessie Moritz: Australia's Iran fallout warning despite uneasy truce
• Abraham Accords
• USAID
• UNRWA – United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
• JCPOA – Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action

We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes.

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What is the ‘foreign policy reset’ undertaken by New Zealand’s National government, and how does it differ from the previous Labour government’s approach?

How can New Zealand and Australia strengthen their alliance to face shared security challenges, amidst US uncertainty and strategic competition with China?

How have recent Chinese activities in the Tasman Sea and the wider Pacific been viewed in New Zealand compared to Australia? What impact are these activities having on New Zealanders’ perceptions of China?

In this episode, David Capie and Nicholas Khoo join David Andrews to unpack New Zealand’s shifting foreign and defence policy, its approach to China, AUKUS, and its relationship with Australia.

Professor David Capie is Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies and Professor of International Relations at Victoria University of Wellington.

Dr Nicholas Khoo is an Associate Professor of International Politics at the University of Otago.

David Andrews is Senior Manager, Policy & Engagement at the ANU National Security College.

TRANSCRIPT

Show notes

• NSC academic programs – find out more
• NZ 2025 Defence Capability Plan
• New Zealand's National Security Strategy
• FPDA – Five Power Defence Arrangements
• CPTPP – The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership

We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes.

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Why is the Indo-Pacific of importance to Canada? Will it have a more consistent presence in the region in the future? 

How is Canada adapting its defence capabilities to meet the demands of a rapidly changing geopolitical and technological landscape?

What lessons has Canada drawn from the war in Ukraine, and how are these shaping the future of its armed forces and military operations?

In this episode, General Jennie Carignan joins Sally Bulkeley to discuss Canada’s evolving defence posture amid a shifting strategic landscape, with a focus on interoperability with partners like Australia, its Indo-Pacific commitments, and lessons drawn from the war in Ukraine.

General M.A. Jennie Carignan, CMM, MSC, MSM, CD is Canada’s Chief of the Defence Staff.

Sally Bulkeley is Deputy Head of College at the ANU National Security College, on secondment from the Department of Defence.

TRANSCRIPT

Show notes

• NSC academic programs – find out more
• Canada boosts defence spending to 2 per cent of GDP amid growing threats
• Australia's JORN defence radar is being bought by Canada, the decision is part of a wider shift
• North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)

We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au.You can contact us on X (formerly Twitter) @NSC_ANU and Bluesky @nscanu.bsky.social, and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes.

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Can differing global approaches to AI regulation and investment work together, or are we headed toward fragmented, siloed systems?

How can AI governance in developing nations be supported as part of regional aid and security agendas?

What challenges does Australia face in regulating AI without a national bill of rights or federal human rights charter?

Should governments mandate the inclusion of human oversight in all AI-powered decisions?

In this episode, Sarah Vallee and Maria O’Sullivan join David Andrews to talk about how AI is impacting national security, with a focus on AI governance models and mass-surveillance.

Maria O’Sullivan is an Associate Professor at Deakin Law School. She's a member of the Deakin Cyber Research and Innovation Centre.

Sarah Vallee is a specialist in AI Policy and Governance. She's a Fellow at the UTS Human Technology Institute, sponsored by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

David Andrews is Senior Manager, Policy & Engagement at the ANU National Security College. 

TRANSCRIPT 

Show notes 

• NSC academic programs – find out more 
• Article 8: respect for your private and family life

We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes.

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