Grand Strategy Down Under

About this episode

Mike discusses Australia's 2026 National Defence Strategy with Justin Bassi, focusing on its implications for security and defense planning.

Mike sits down with Justin Bassi, Executive Director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, to examine Australia’s latest 2026 National Defence Strategy and what it reveals about Canberra’s evolving strategic outlook. They examine how the strategy aims to address Australia’s most pressing security challenges, how it differs from previous defense planning approaches, and explore emerging opportunities and considerations ahead as Canberra seeks to implement its objectives. Mike and Justin also explore the role of Australia’s broader policy community in shaping national defence debates, and how think tanks and other expert networks influence Canberra’s choices as it navigates an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific security environment.

People in this episode

Host: Mike

Guest: Justin Bassi

Topics covered

• Australia's National Defence Strategy
• strategic outlook
• security challenges
• defense planning
• policy community
• Indo-Pacific security

Keywords

• Australia
• defense strategy
• security challenges
• Indo-Pacific
• strategic policy
• think tanks
• national defense

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Australian Strategic Policy Institute

Places: Australia, Canberra, Indo-Pacific

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