CONTESTED GROUND: When information becomes the battlefield

Joint-capabilities
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By: Robyn Tongol

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.

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

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Listen to previous episodes of the Defence Connect podcast:

Episode 11: CONTESTED GROUND: Apathy, complacency and the ‘Lucky Country’, Australia’s predicament is entirely self-inflicted, with Ben Dullroy
Episode 10: SPECIAL EDITION PODCAST: 125 years of the Royal Australian Navy and Australian Army
Episode 9: CONTESTED GROUND: Australian resilience during a crisis and sovereign industrial capability
Episode 8: CONTESTED GROUND: From Tehran to Sydney – why war could reshape Australian property
Episode 7: SPOTLIGHT: Inside Australia’s AUKUS industrial transformation, with Honeywell Aerospace Australia senior director Lee Davis
Episode 6: CONTESTED GROUND: War without borders – the disinformation threat arriving in Australia
Episode 5: THE PROGRESS REPORT: The mission to make military children visible
Episode 4: PODCAST: Righting the ship, balancing the force, with Senator James Paterson, shadow minister for defence
Episode 3: SPOTLIGHT: Modern electronic warfare, spectrum congestion and the Australian defence ecosystem, with DEWC Services’ Rian Whitby
Episode 2: CONTESTED GROUND: The intersection of finance, organised crime, terrorism and foreign interference, with Keith Bulfin