In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, host Steve Kuper is joined by the Honourable Andrew Hastie MP, shadow minister for home affairs, for a hard-hitting discussion on the shifting nature of Australia’s national security challenges.

No longer confined to conventional defence or counter-terrorism, the security debate now spans economic sovereignty, industrial security, and social cohesion. Against the backdrop of recent revelations of Iranian espionage attempts on Australian soil, Hastie warns that hostile foreign actors are probing Australia’s vulnerabilities, not only in cyber space and critical infrastructure, but in the trust that underpins our diverse society.

Throughout the conversation, Hastie shares how his perspective has sharpened since stepping into the shadow portfolio following his time as shadow minister for Defence. He outlines the emerging contest for resilience – whether in defending supply chains, protecting advanced technologies, or insulating the national economy from coercion.

Kuper presses Hastie on the domestic implications of foreign espionage operations, particularly the way they threaten multicultural harmony and fuel social division. Hastie stresses that Australia must be proactive in countering influence operations, strengthening intelligence partnerships, and reinforcing trust across society.

The discussion then broadens to the strategic importance of resilience, a whole-of-nation approach that prepares Australians not just to respond to crises, but to withstand them.

Hastie points to key policy gaps, from weak industrial capacity to fragmented national planning, and calls for a more integrated framework that links defence, economy, and society into a coherent security posture.

As Australia navigates an increasingly contested world, this episode challenges listeners to rethink what security really means. The conversation offers sharp insights into how Australia can adapt to a new era of threats and why resilience must sit at the heart of any credible national security agenda.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground team

In this episode of the Cyber Uncut podcast, Daniel Croft and David Hollingworth touch on the latest in AI news, concerning developments in the world of cyber crime, and recommendations by the Law Council of Australia regarding the next phase of the nation’s Cyber Security Strategy.

• Croft and Hollingworth begin by discussing eSafety and changes made to the Online Safety Act to ensure that young children are less vulnerable to the dangers of sexually explicit and other AI chatbots.
• The pair then discuss the dramatic increase in ransomware attacks worldwide and in Australia, as well as the Australian Cyber Security Centre’s alarm over a year-old vulnerability being exploited against Australian organisations.
• Croft and Hollingworth then discuss the ongoing Jaguar Land Rover cyber attack, with data now confirmed compromised and an impact that could last until at least next month.
• Finally, the two discuss the Law Council of Australia’s recommendations for Horizon 2 of the Australian Cyber Security Strategy, which suggest that small businesses should have their cyber security subsidised.

Enjoy the episode,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson and Liam Garman unpack the escalating role of information warfare in today’s conflicts.

From the mobile phone’s transformation into a weapon to the blurred lines between propaganda and “information operations”, the team dissects how truth itself has become contested ground.

The conversation explores the challenges of navigating a “post-truth” world dominated by political tribalism, misinformation, and the weaponisation of narratives. The hosts reflect on conflicts such as Gaza, where competing lobbies and real-time social media footage shape global perceptions.

They also examine Australia’s role within the Five Eyes alliance, including revelations of restricted intelligence sharing around the Ukraine peace talks – a development that could reshape international cooperation and Canberra’s strategic outlook.

The team rounds out the discussion with broader geopolitical and domestic challenges, from US talk of military action in Latin America to Australia’s housing affordability crisis – all underlining the reality that contestation extends far beyond the battlefield.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground team