Grey zone warfare, state competition investigated in Australian-first podcast

Contested Ground, a new podcast investigating the complex and murky world of grey zone warfare as nations compete on the global stage, has been launched by award winning media and market intelligence business Momentum Media.

The new weekly podcast lifts the veil on how state and non-state actors compete for influence below the threshold of armed conflict, informing business and public sector leaders on how malicious actors exploit Australia’s financial and social systems for their gain.

The podcast can be found on all major podcast platforms including Apple and Spotify.

Contested Ground is hosted by the inaugural head of the Australian Defence Force’s Information Warfare Division Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson, Momentum Market’s director of Defence and Security, Phil Tarrant, and editor of Defence Connect and Cyber Daily Liam Garman.

Each week, the hosts will unpack the tactics, techniques and procedures used by nation states and organisations as they vie for influence – from cyber operations to economic coercion, resource security and disinformation.

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The podcast will help ensure that Australia’s captains of industry and public service employees remain informed in the light of increasing geopolitical competition, co-host Liam Garman said.

“Now more than ever, foreign actors are leveraging social divisions to undermine Australia’s position on the global stage. Meanwhile, businesses have come under sustained attack online from foreign criminals wishing to steal intellectual property, undertake surveillance or extort ransom payments,” he said.

“We’ve also seen overseas governments try to economically coerce Australia, attempting to strong-arm Australian foreign and domestic policy.

“Contested Ground will lift the veil on how state and non-state actors operate beneath the threshold of armed conflict, that is, how they seek to prosecute their interests using dubious means in the ‘grey zone’. It’s a must-listen for those driving policy as we embark on an era of geopolitical uncertainty,” he said.

The first episode, which launched in late August, analysed how foreign actors have manipulated social media to deepen divisions, while the co-hosts argued whether or not the government should police speech online.

To get in touch with the hosts or share your stories, contact [email protected]