In this episode, ASPI Executive Director Peter Jennings speaks with Victorian Senator James Paterson, chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. They discuss the committee’s recent inquiry into national security risks affecting Australia’s higher education and research sectors, the senator’s role as chair, and Australia’s foreign interference laws.

John Coyne and Gill Savage from ASPI’s Northern Australia Strategic Policy Centre talk about what the latest federal budget holds for northern Australia. They discuss the challenges of decisions being made in southern Australia for initiatives in the north, the limitations of siloed policy approaches and the need for cohesive, big-picture planning.