Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
As Australia’s strategic circumstances become more challenging, national defence will require greater public understanding of the risks, trade-offs and commitments that underpin security.
At ASPI’s 2026 Defence Conference, Peter Hartcher, International Editor at the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age; Samantha Maiden, Political Editor at news.com.au; and Nicola Smith, Canberra Bureau Chief at the Australian Financial Review, sat down with Stephen Dziedzic, Foreign Affairs (Asia Pacific) Reporter with ABC News, to explore the media’s role in building the social licence required for national defence.
The discussion examined public support for AUKUS, the effectiveness of government messaging on defence and national security, and Defence’s relationship with the media. The panellists highlighted growing public awareness of Australia’s increasingly challenging security environment, alongside a strong appetite for more information and informed debate.
As Australia’s strategic circumstances become more challenging, national defence will require greater public understanding of the risks, trade-offs and commitments that underpin security.
At ASPI’s 2026 Defence Conference, Peter Hartcher, International Editor at the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age; Samantha Maiden, Political Editor at news.com.au; and Nicola Smith, Canberra Bureau Chief at the Australian Financial Review, sat down with Stephen Dziedzic, Foreign Affairs (Asia Pacific) Reporter with ABC News, to explore the media’s role in building the social licence required for national defence.
The discussion examined public support for AUKUS, the effectiveness of government messaging on defence and national security, and Defence’s relationship with the media. The panellists highlighted growing public awareness of Australia’s increasingly challenging security environment, alongside a strong appetite for more information and informed debate.
