Australia's strategic environment is changing rapidly, but defence procurement and industry must move faster to keep pace.

Speaking with Defence Connect news editor Robert Dougherty, former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison discusses the five-year evolution of AUKUS, Australia's defence industrial base, China's economic and strategic influence, critical minerals and the need to accelerate defence procurement.

Morrison argues that AUKUS is already delivering tangible benefits, with US submarines operating from Australia and investment progressing at Henderson to support US, UK and Australian submarine operations.

The pair also discuss US submarine production constraints and Australia's plans to develop a tier-one domestic defence prime.

Morrison highlights that Australia should maintain trade with China where appropriate while strengthening economic and strategic resilience through closer cooperation with aligned countries.

The conversation turns to critical minerals, with Morrison arguing China's use of supply-chain leverage is accelerating investment in alternative sources. Australia, he says, has an important role as an extractor, while processing capabilities can be distributed across allied countries, including the US, Japan and South Korea.

Looking towards the next decade, Morrison calls for faster defence decision making and procurement because systems designed for the post-Cold War environment are no longer suited to today's strategic conditions.

Enjoy the podcast.

Information has always shaped power and influence – but in the age of artificial intelligence, the speed, scale and sophistication with which narratives can be created and deployed has changed dramatically.

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson explore how the tradecraft of information warfare is increasingly intersecting with the commercial world, and why influence, narrative and information advantages are becoming critical strategic capabilities for modern businesses.

They unpack the parallels – and important differences – between military information operations and commercial competition, from shaping perceptions and gaining decision superiority to defending against misinformation and responding to crises at speed.

With AI now enabling highly targeted content to be created in hours rather than weeks, Tarrant and Thompson examine what this means for business leaders, why communications can no longer be left solely to marketing teams, and why organisations need the people, systems and strategy to compete in an information environment moving faster than ever before.

On this episode of Momentum Media's Property Buzz, Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman examine how a raft of recent policy announcements, from tax changes to credit card surcharges, are buffeting the economy and creating unintended consequences that will impact every Australian.

The pair pull apart the latest CPI figures to question the federal government's explanation for inflation, with Garman arguing that government spending is crowding out the private sector and weighing on productivity.

Tarrant then turns to the removal of residential lending from SMSFs, which he says is putting pressure on builders and the viability of new projects. He also argues that falling home values could undermine the aged care system, with fewer older Australians able to draw on their homes to fund entry costs, leaving families facing a difficult situation at a vulnerable time and potentially adding a significant cost to the budget.

The pair also discuss the launch of Banking Daily, Momentum Media's new financial services platform, and how it aims to deliver the latest intelligence for people working in the sector.

Everyone wants to know why housing has become so unaffordable. But what if the policies designed to fix the crisis are actually making it worse?

On Momentum Media's unfiltered property show, Property Buzz, Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman question whether recent tax reforms, lending changes, and housing policies could have unintended consequences for investors, developers, and first home buyers alike.

From the crackdown on investor taxes to broader housing reforms, the pair examine whether the government's approach will genuinely improve affordability or simply reduce housing supply and place even more pressure on the market.

They also explore Australia's increasingly fragmented property landscape, where Sydney and Melbourne continue to soften while Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth tell a very different story, proving there is no such thing as a single Australian property market.

The conversation then shifts to the broader economy, examining how higher interest rates, persistent inflation, and growing employment uncertainty could shape borrowing power, property values, and investor confidence in the months ahead.

Finally, the duo assess the potential fallout from changes to self-managed super funds, posing one critical question: if individual investors are gradually pushed out of the market, who will fund Australia's next generation of housing?

With the clock ticking on residential SMSF lending, FOMO is taking hold, with mortgage brokers Finni reporting record inquiry levels as borrowers scramble to beat the incoming ban.

Join Momentum Media, Julian Barnes (Broker Daily) and Finni brokers Eva Loisance and Costa Arvanitopoulos as they unpack the last-minute SMSF rush, the risks facing borrowers starting from scratch, and why a single delay could now derail an entire transaction.

The trio also explores how post-budget uncertainty is reshaping investor strategies, why owner-occupier suburbs are outperforming investor-heavy areas, and whether the expanded Help to Buy scheme is opening the door to home ownership or creating a new set of risks.

How can Australia inspire more young people to pursue careers in space, STEM and national capability from an early age?

In this episode of Momentum Media's Space Connect Podcast, senior journalist Robert Dougherty is joined by Jen Malone, founder of the Young Astronauts Club Australia, during the Australian Space Summit & Exhibition 2026 in Sydney.

Malone discusses the origins of the Young Astronauts Club, how the grassroots initiative has grown into a national science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) outreach program, and why engaging children early is critical to addressing Australia's future space workforce needs.

The discussion explores education, industry collaboration and the growing opportunities across Australia's civil and defence space sectors while examining how initiatives such as Australia's astronaut program are inspiring the next generation.

The podcast conversation includes the following topics:

• Why Australia must inspire children to pursue STEM and space careers from an early age.
• Building the Young Astronauts Club and expanding opportunities for students nationwide.
• The importance of reaching regional and rural communities through accessible STEM education.
• Australia's evolving space industry, workforce shortages and emerging career pathways.
• The growing links between Australia's civil, commercial and defence space sectors.
• The inspirational impact of Australia's astronaut program and the #FlyKatherine campaign.
• Industry collaboration, private investment and Australia's role in the global space ecosystem.
• The influence of AI, emerging technologies and future lunar exploration in today's students.
• Plans to launch a national online Young Astronauts Club, making space education accessible regardless of postcode.

Finally, the discussion wraps up by examining the importance of family engagement, community support and creating lasting pathways that encourage young Australians to become the scientists, engineers and space professionals of the future.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Space Connect team

As Australia faces a populist political surge and the established political parties continue to lose ground, can Australia's "sensible" centre hold, or will decades of failed policies, broken promises and declining economic opportunities finally come home to roost?

In a departure from its usual international focus, Momentum Media's Contested Ground turns to domestic tensions sparked by the federal budget. The hosts argue that this has become a sustained point of public frustration rather than a short-term political issue.

Hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson question whether Australia is moving away from its traditional "sensible centre" towards greater political polarisation.

A central theme of the discussion is the declining level of trust between Australians and the political class. Dr Thompson argues that governments increasingly risk creating division through policies and political strategies that focus on wedge issues rather than building consensus. The conversation references debates, including the Voice referendum and responses to international crises, as examples of issues that have contributed to heightened social tension.

The discussion also turns to housing, taxation and the economic pressures facing younger Australians. Tarrant raises concerns that government policy settings, including changes affecting self-managed super funds and capital gains tax arrangements, may have unintentionally reduced investment capacity and worsened housing supply pressures.

The hosts question whether Australia is continuing to promote an outdated version of the "Australian Dream" while younger generations face record debt levels, higher living costs and greater financial uncertainty.

Ultimately, the episode explores a bigger question: is Australia experiencing a fundamental shift in its national identity and political culture?

The hosts suggest the country may be moving away from the traditional "sensible centre" that has defined much of modern Australian politics towards a more divided environment, where competing extremes increasingly dominate public debate. They warn that maintaining social cohesion will become harder if political leadership continues to prioritise short-term political advantage over long-term national unity.

The episode concludes with a call for a renewed style of leadership – one focused less on political point-scoring and more on honesty, transparency and bringing Australians together to confront the economic and strategic challenges ahead.

Enjoy the podcast.

When we think of safety concerns in aviation, it's easy to become fixated on the mechanical issues – but the human factor is also a major issue, and stress and burnout in such a high-pressure industry can only make it worse.

It's easy to ignore the early warning signs of stress and try to push through, but according to neuroscientist Annett Koenig, that can only compound the issue, leading to neurological issues that can even mirror the symptoms of epilepsy.

As engineering-related incidents continue to improve, the human factor is still lagging behind – so what kind of safety issues can stress cause, and how can they be addressed?

On Momentum Media's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake talks to Koenig about the causes, effects, and solutions to chronic stress in the aviation sector.