In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Steve Kuper and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson are joined by Dr Malcolm Davis, Australian Strategic Policy Institute defence strategy and capability senior analyst, to unpack the strategic shockwaves emerging from the United States' 2026 National Defense Strategy.

The trio examine what Washington's shift towards an offshore balancing posture means for Australia, including renewed pressure to lift defence spending, the implications of deterrence by denial along the first island chain, and the risks of assuming unconditional US support in a rapidly deteriorating Indo-Pacific security environment.

They also explore the growing assertiveness of China, the fine line between stabilisation and accommodation, and whether Australia is approaching a modern-day version of World War II's "1939 tipping point moment" that demands greater self-reliance, expanded defence industrial capacity, and difficult conversations with the Australian public.

Finally, the discussion turns to force structure, autonomous systems, guided weapons, and the hard choices facing government as Australia seeks to balance immediate readiness, AUKUS, and long-term strategic resilience in an era of uncertainty.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground team

This week on Cyber Uncut, David Hollingworth and Bethany Alvaro discuss the murky world of employee data theft, look at a pair of ransomware attacks – one local, one a touch further afield – and take a look at the new cyber security strategy announced by the NSW government.

The podcast opens with research that suggests the new year, and January in particular, is a prime time for employees to make off with important business data, either by accident or accidentally on purpose.

In cyber security news, World Leaks has taken responsibility for hacking athletics giant Nike, while the Anubis operation has shared passports and legal documents it stole from a New Zealand law firm. Hollingworth also breaks down a cyber security tabletop exercise he recently took part in, and why they are an essential part of any organisation's cyber resilience strategy.

Finally, the eSafety Commissioner is asking people to dob in kids getting around the social media ban, while the pair share some insights from the experts for World Data Privacy Day.

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, the entire team of Stephen Kuper, Robert Dougherty and Bethany Alvaro examines current news surrounding Australia's changing strategic environment: from diplomacy and armoured warfare to intelligence capability to the future of the rules-based global order.

• The episode opens with the appointment of Greg Moriarty as Australia's next ambassador to the United States. The former defence secretary has drawn broad bipartisan support, while opinions differ on the impact of outgoing Australian ambassador to US and former prime minister Kevin Rudd.
• Attention then turns to the unveiling of the M1E3 Abrams prototype, signalling the US Army's next step in main battle tank evolution and a definitive link to the Australian defence industry.
• The discussion shifts to the recent speech from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has publicly questioned the very existence of a post-war rules-based order.
• The team also deliberates on the demographic and economic trends rapidly shifting influence towards populous regional states such as Indonesia and India, raising the prospect that Australia may soon face strategic pressure from neighbours it once viewed as junior partners.
• Next, UK's launch of a fast-tracked undergraduate degree in drone engineering is highlighted as a response to lessons from Ukraine, while the team questions whether Australia risks falling behind.
• The episode concludes with final confirmation that the Royal Australian Air Force has received its first MC-55A Peregrine intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and electronic warfare aircraft.

Enjoy the podcast
The Defence Connect team

In this episode of the Contested Ground Podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson, and Steve Kuper discuss the fallout from the US' arrest of Nicolas Maduro, America's claims to Greenland, and the potential for regime change in Iran.

The trio unpack the success and complexities of the US' raid in Venezuela and the intricacies surrounding the mission, the fallout of the "Donroe Doctrine" in action, and its relations intersecting with the 2025 US National Security Strategy's emphasis on the western hemisphere.

They also discuss the mounting US pressure over Greenland and what is driving US interest in the island nation, which presents a significant risk of rupturing NATO at a time of mounting geopolitical upheaval.

Finally, they also discuss the US military build-up surrounding Iran and the potential for decapitation strikes against the Iranian regime, seemingly backed by the ousted shah and implications for broader global security.

In this episode of the Defence Connect Spotlight podcast, host Robert Dougherty is joined by Petar Bielovich, general manager of data and analytics at Atturra, to discuss the evolving role of preparedness, decision intelligence, and sovereign capability within Australia's national security strategy.

As part of this in-depth conversation, the pair discuss a range of subjects, including:

• The growing importance of preparedness in Australian defence strategy and how it differs from traditional concepts of readiness.
• How data analytics and artificial intelligence can deliver a decision advantage across Defence and improve preparedness outcomes.
• The role of industry in building national resilience, sovereign capability, and supporting the total workforce system.
• The impact of reducing reliance on consultants and contractors, and finding the right balance to build sustainable capability.
• How recent Defence reforms, consolidation efforts and delivery agencies may provide clearer signals and improved engagement for industry.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect Spotlight team

This week on Cyber Uncut, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft are still talking about Grok's nudity woes, OpenAI's turn to ads, the potential compromise of a major rack hardware maker, and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner's calls for more government transparency.

The pair kick things off once again with Grok and its struggles in producing sexual abuse material and OpenAI's move to introduce ads into ChatGPT.

In cyber security news, the Everest ransomware group claims to have stolen vital hardware data from ASRock Rack, with the potential for some serious downstream impacts and further cyber attacks. Plus, hackers who have been named and in court, and 2025 in cryptocurrency crime.

And finally, some good news – search engine DuckDuckGo says NO to AI, and the OAIC looks to boost government transparency around automated decision making.

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut team

Imagine being told at the start of your aviation career that women simply don't fly jets. Decades later, Sue-anne Munckton is the CEO of the Civil Aviation Academy Australasia and director/founder of Sky Careers and a powerhouse advocate for Australia's aviation future.

In this episode, Tash Taylor sits down with the recent Australian Aviation Awards Excellence Award winner to discuss her 35-year journey from student pilot to industry leader.

Sue-anne reveals why we must teach children by age 10 to break down career barriers and shape their sphere of influence. Her company, Sky Careers, is opening doors to 30,000+ industry roles – from drone-piloted "SnotBots" that collect whale snot to maritime logistics.

The Progress Report. New voices. Real stories. Big shifts.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Progress Report team

In this episode of the Contested Ground Podcast, hosts Phil Tarrant, Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson, and Steve Kuper discuss the Australian government's legislative efforts to combat anti-Semitism, hatred, and violent extremism in Australia.

The trio unpack the legislative proposal and political considerations that have shaped the Albanese government's Combating Anti-Semitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026, developed in the aftermath of the terrorist shooting at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach, Sydney, which resulted in at least 15 deaths and over 40 injuries on 14 December 2025.

The trio also discuss the fine line between balancing national security, freedom, protesting and religious liberties as a democracy and the different requests identified by the opposition, Greens and other minor parties ahead of the debate.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground Team