Lisa Sharland is joined by Professor Joanne Wallis, Professor of International Security at the University of Adelaide, to discuss her chapter on ‘Strategic Competition and the Pacific Islands’ in the Institute for International and Strategic Studies Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment 2021. They discuss the challenges posed by strategic competition in the region, opportunities for Australian engagement and why Australia should work more closely with partners in the region.

Dr Malcolm Davis speaks to Lieutenant Colonel Kyle Marcrum and Dr Brendan Mulvaney from the US China Aerospace Studies Institute about the concept of deterrence, something they explored in the recent ASPI report ‘To deter the PRC…’. They discuss how the People’s Republic of China views and approaches deterrence in comparison to liberal democracies, and how Australia and its partners should respond.

Climate policy remains a hot topic in Australia. With Barnaby Joyce re-elected as nationals leader and the federal government still not committing to net-zero by 2050, Anastasia Kapetas and Dr Robert Glasser discuss the Australian Government’s current position on climate, and climate risks for Australia and our near region.