In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, host Bethany Alvaro is joined by Jennifer Parker, one of Australia's leading voices on maritime security, to examine the rapidly evolving strategic environment in the Indo-Pacific and what this means for Australia's naval capability, national preparedness and civilian resilience.

With more than two decades of service as a warfare officer in the Royal Australian Navy, Parker now serves as an expert associate at the Australian National University's National Security College and works across a number of think tanks and universities, bringing both operational and strategic insight to the discussion.

The pair discuss:

• Recent Chinese naval activity and what Australia should take from it.
• Naval preparedness in relation to capability, workforce and time.
• Civilian readiness and if fighting from Australia is plausible.
• The importance of maritime security for Australia and the civilian way of life.
• The work to better connect Defence, industry and the public.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team

This week, for the last Cyber Uncut of 2025, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft talk about Grok's spreading of misinformation regarding the tragic Bondi terror attack, OpenAI's admission of "high cyber risk", the re-emergence of ShinyHunters with a string of possible extortion attempts, ransomware attacks on medical centres, and important tips for using public Wi-Fi over the holidays.

The pair kick things off with reports of how Grok utterly failed to deliver accurate information regarding the 14 December shootings targeting the Jewish community in Sydney. The chatbot utterly failed to meet the moment, leading to multiple instances of incorrect information circulating on X.

In cyber security news, ShinyHunters is engaging in a string of extortion attempts that may – or may not be – linked to its breach of data analytics firm Mixpanel. It's a bit of a ride and a fascinating example of how quickly things can change in the cyber crime landscape. Plus, two more Aussie healthcare centres fall victim to ransomware attacks.

And finally, some helpful travel advice, a wrap-up of our big moments from 2025, and some things to look forward to in 2026.

See you next year
The Cyber Uncut team

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, host Robert Dougherty is joined by Dr Levi West, an Australian National University Research Fellow (radicalisation, extremism, terrorism) and former director of terrorism studies at the Australian Graduate School of Policing and Security.

The pair take an in-depth look at the national security and counterterrorism aspects of the 2025 Bondi Beach shooting in Sydney.

The terrorist attack targeted Jewish members of the public attending a Hanukkah (Jewish festival of lights) event on Sydney's Bondi Beach. Fifteen people, including a 10-year-old girl, two rabbis and a Holocaust survivor, were killed in the attack. Two police officers were shot and injured.

The two Islamic State-aligned gunmen were identified by NSW Police as father and son, Sajid Akram, 50 (deceased), and Naveed Akram, 24 (critically injured).

The pair discuss a range of topics, including:

• An initial in-depth assessment of the attack, the police and public response.
• The actions and bravery of fruit shop owner Ahmed al Ahmed, who disarmed one of the gunmen and seized his weapon before laying down the gun during the incident.
• A reactive federal and state government pledge to tighten firearms legislation in the wake of the incident.
• Media reports that both terrorists travelled to the Philippines prior to the incident, possibly to undertake firearms training or engage in a final period of recreation.
• How the shooting relates to anti-Jewish incidents occurring in Australia since the October 7 attacks in Israel during 2023.
• What happens next for Australia, analysis of the incident, psychological impact, possible changes in government policy and the likelihood of reprisals or imitative violence.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect team