CONTESTED GROUND: Successive governments have failed to prepare Australia for the era of polycrisis, with Marc Ablong PSM, Geostrategic Risk Partners

Joint-capabilities
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By: Robyn Tongol

The war in the Middle East has served to reveal the now metastising vulnerabilities that permeate Australia’s economic, political and strategic ecosystems, leaving the nation and its interests exposed.

The war in the Middle East has served to reveal the now metastising vulnerabilities that permeate Australia’s economic, political and strategic ecosystems, leaving the nation and its interests exposed.

Australians are increasingly getting the sense that the country is rudderless, struggling to overcome the mounting swell that is serving to swamp our seemingly ill-prepared national “boat”.

In the latest episode of the special Contested Ground series unpacking the fallout and implications of the conflict in the Middle East, host Steve Kuper is joined by geostrategic analyst and former Defence policymaker Marc Ablong PSM as they interrogate the nation’s preparedness, the era of polycrisis and mobilisation in the modern era.

 
 

As part of this, the pair deep dive into what makes a “polycrisis” and why it feels like Australia and Australians are seemingly paddling from one storm to another, both at home and abroad, undermining our national resilience and the nation’s capacity to rally in the event of major regional crisis.

They then move on to dissect the challenges of contemporary mobilisation being faced by Australia and like-minded nations across Europe and the United Kingdom, specifically the issues surrounding social cohesion, economic, political and social dislocation and atomisation among young Australians that directly impact national security and resilience.

Finally, the pair discuss Australia’s glaring lack of compelling narrative and plan to rally Australians of all generations that leave many feeling like Australia is inescapably caught in a period of managed decline, at a time when the nation’s economic, political and strategic security and prosperity faces increasing tension and challenge.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground team

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Listen to previous episodes of the Defence Connect podcast:

Episode 11: SPOTLIGHT: Crewed, uncrewed, mass and increasing contemporary maritime combat capabilities, with Kevin ‘Q’ Quarderer of Leidos Australia and MAJGEN (Ret’d) Mick Ryan
Episode 10: PODCAST: Fleet readiness, future warfare and Australia’s naval strategy, with Commodore Antony Pisani
Episode 9: THE PROGRESS REPORT: Direct hit over Baghdad – the pilot who outflew a surface-to-air missile
Episode 8: SPOTLIGHT: Subs may be the centrepiece – but infrastructure, workforce and sovereign capability will decide the outcome, with Stantec’s Chris Waywell, Rob Sansbury and Robert Fogel
Episode 7: CONTESTED GROUND: Apathy, complacency and the ‘Lucky Country’, Australia’s predicament is entirely self-inflicted, with Ben Dullroy
Episode 6: SPECIAL EDITION PODCAST: 125 years of the Royal Australian Navy and Australian Army
Episode 5: CONTESTED GROUND: Australian resilience during a crisis and sovereign industrial capability
Episode 4: CONTESTED GROUND: From Tehran to Sydney – why war could reshape Australian property
Episode 3: SPOTLIGHT: Inside Australia’s AUKUS industrial transformation, with Honeywell Aerospace Australia senior director Lee Davis
Episode 2: CONTESTED GROUND: War without borders – the disinformation threat arriving in Australia