David M. Andrews
banner
davidmandrews.bsky.social
David M. Andrews
@davidmandrews.bsky.social
Senior Policy Advisor at the ANU National Security College. Writing about defence, foreign, and security policy, alliances & multilateral security organisations. Former public servant. Christian. Sports fan.
I'll also note that I slightly misspoke towards the end of the interview: I forgot that Australia & Indonesia already have annual 2+2 meetings, but I think the point I was trying to make about deeper political and institutional integration still holds up.

monocle.com/radio/shows/...
Poland rail blast spotlights Russian sabotage in Europe and Zelensky goes to Turkey - Monocle
Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, accuses Russia of an unprecedented act of sabotage. How dangerous a game is Russia playing...
monocle.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:19 AM
Again, this isn't about playing one group off against another or making value judgements; I'm simply curious. I expect there's a market size aspect to it, but I also don't know what I don't know. Am I looking for something that doesn't exist?

In short: what are others listening to?
November 18, 2025 at 5:40 AM
An example that comes to mind is Curtin's Cast by the John Curtin Research Centre, but I'm sure there must be more. There are others like Politics with Michelle Grattan, or Democracy Sausage, but Professors Grattan and Kenny come to this with very extensive journalistic careers.
November 18, 2025 at 5:40 AM
That is, insights and analysis principally from practitioners, former parliamentarians etc. rather than journos.

No disrespect to those who are/were working in the media, but it seems to me that's just one category of assessments that is already very well catered for, whether in print or pod.
November 18, 2025 at 5:40 AM
"It's not a mutual defence treaty similar to what we have with the USA and now with PNG, but it sits at the category just below that...It's a great marker of success for Australian diplomacy."

@canberratimes.bsky.social @gracecrivellaro.bsky.social

www.canberratimes.com.au/story/911083...
Australia and Indonesia deal won't bind nations in war
Australia's leaders remain circumspect about the terms of a security agreement with a key northern neighbour after finalising...
www.canberratimes.com.au
November 13, 2025 at 11:45 PM
"I think this is a real diplomatic coup for the Albanese government to sign an agreement of this nature with a country of this size and significance to Australia's future."

@asia.nikkei.com @sophiemak.bsky.social

asia.nikkei.com/politics/int...
Australia and Indonesia conclude negotiations on new security treaty
Albanese says both countries will be able to 'jointly deal with threats'
asia.nikkei.com
November 13, 2025 at 11:45 PM
"The new security treaty...may turn out to be the most significant security partnership Australia has established under PM Albanese — with the potential to even exceed the impact of the Pukpuk Treaty with PNG"

@stephendziedzic.bsky.social @livcaisley.bsky.social

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Australia and Indonesia strike landmark security treaty
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declares a "new era" in the relationship between the neighbours in a joint appearance with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Sydney.
www.abc.net.au
November 13, 2025 at 11:45 PM
And finally, Director of the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation, Kathryn McMullan, spoke with Sally Bulkeley on yesterday's episode of the #NatSecPod

nsc.anu.edu.au/podcast/seei...
Seeing the unseen: why geospatial intelligence is important | National Security College
In this episode Kathryn McMullan joins Sally Bulkeley to discuss the importance of geospatial intelligence, how it contributes to statecraft, and how the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisatio...
nsc.anu.edu.au
November 7, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Next, we hosted Heather Cook, CEO of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, at the @nscanu.bsky.social last night to launch a new report on the economic impacts of serious and organised crime. Reporting here from ABC News' @livcaisley.bsky.social:

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Australia's $4 billion illicit tobacco trade fuels a violent criminal market
Authorities stress the $4 billion figure is conservative, as it does not include illegal vapes and e-cigarettes.
www.abc.net.au
November 7, 2025 at 2:19 AM
First, Director-General of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, Mike Burgess, delivered the 2025 Lowy Lecture for @lowyinstitute.bsky.social on Tuesday night.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR8o...
2025 Lowy Lecture
YouTube video by Lowy Institute
www.youtube.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:19 AM
True! I'm not sure if/when the structural inertia can/will be overcome, though. That's one of my biggest concerns - whether we can make space for less conventional perspectives in an unconventional age when the system is (seemingly) being pulled apart quicker than we can react.
October 22, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Managing that turmoil will be exceptionally difficult for allied governments, officials, and polities. We have to think in very different terms as the relationship shifts to an interests-driven framing, not values, for the first time in many of our professional lives.
October 22, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Of course, a meeting is not the be all and end all. The underlying tensions in the relationship remain - particularly the future of the US and it's international leadership, domestic political stability, and the harm inflicted on its institutions and people.
October 22, 2025 at 1:28 AM
In this instance, also, patience on securing a meeting seems to have paid off. Even if Trump hadn't cancelled the scheduled meeting at the G7, what are the odds that it would've gone better, on the whole, than yesterday's one at the White House?
October 22, 2025 at 1:28 AM