Who decides? Courts, citizenship, and national security

Who decides? Courts, citizenship, and national security

Author: ANU National Security College March 6, 2025 Duration: 43:09

How does the exercise of judicial power shape national security law and policymaking in Australia?

What legal safeguards exist to balance civil liberties and national security?

Why do the principles of citizenship matter in Australia’s legal system and national security decisions?


In this episode, Rebecca Ananian-Welsh and Sangeetha Pillai join Danielle Ireland-Piper to explore the separation of powers in national security law in Australia, the role of courts, and the challenges surrounding citizenship laws.

 

Associate Professor Rebecca Ananian-Welsh is a constitutional law scholar and Editor of the University of Queensland Law Journal at the TC Beirne School of Law, The University of Queensland.

Dr Sangeetha Pillai is a constitutional lawyer and writer, and an expert on Australian citizenship, migration and refugee law.

Associate Professor Danielle-Ireland Piper is Academic Director at the ANU National Security College (NSC). 


TRANSCRIPT

 

Show notes

·     NSC academic programs – find out more

·     Reassessing national security law for modern threats

·     Why national security law is “more than the sum of its parts”


 We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.  


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Produced by the ANU National Security College, The National Security Podcast offers a deep and nuanced examination of the forces shaping regional and global stability. This isn't just a surface-level news recap; it's a forum for serious, informed discussion grounded in academic rigor and policy expertise. Each episode features conversations with leading thinkers, practitioners, and analysts who unpack the complex security landscape, from geopolitical shifts and economic coercion to cyber threats and climate-related risks. The focus is consistently on the pressing challenges and strategic choices confronting Australia and the broader Indo-Pacific region. Listeners will gain access to a range of perspectives that cut through the noise, providing clarity on how today's decisions shape tomorrow's security environment. By engaging with this podcast, you join a conversation that is both timely and essential, one that connects theoretical understanding with the practical realities of government and international affairs. The dialogue here is built on evidence and experience, offering listeners a trusted source to better comprehend the intricate dynamics of power, diplomacy, and defense. It's an ongoing exploration of what security means in a rapidly changing world, delivered through thoughtful, long-form discussions that prioritize depth and insight.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The National Security Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Beyond oil: what the Hormuz crisis means for Australia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:57
Why is the Strait of Hormuz crisis about more than crude oil, and what does it reveal about Australia’s hidden supply-chain vulnerabilities? What should investment in supply chain resilience look like for Australia? Does…
2026 National Defence Strategy: evolution, not revolution [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:51
What are the real differences between the 2024 and 2026 National Defence Strategy – and why is this an evolution, not a revolution? How is Australia thinking about national resilience, and what does a ‘whole-of-nation’ a…
Truth, trust and the algorithm: can democracy keep up? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:14
How are everyday Australians experiencing misinformation in their daily lives, and why does it feel increasingly overwhelming? How are platforms and algorithms shaping what we see? What impact is this having on trust in…
What is driving the war in Iran – and what comes next? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:19
Why did the United States and Israel choose to strike Iran now – and what are the strategic consequences of that decision? What lessons have been learnt from Iran’s asymmetric response? Can Iran’s protesters realisticall…
Plotting a through line: February 2026 geopolitics update [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:40
Is there a strategic through line or an explanatory logic behind the Trump Administration’s actions in Venezuela, Greenland and Iran?What is the current state of the Transatlantic Alliance?What are the implications of cr…
Modernising Australia's border security [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:31
Why do Australia’s borders require a fundamental rethink? How can Australian governments build on the vision of Australia’s borders as a national strategic asset? How can new forms of border governance, such as the use o…
Why organised crime is now a national security threat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:57
Why has serious and organised crime – estimated to cost Australia $82.3 billion each year – become a national security issue? How is the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) responding to this? What are the…
Pat Conroy on defence reform, industry and the Pacific [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:33
How integrated is Australia’s approach to statecraft across defence, diplomacy, development and industry – and how visible is that integration to the public? What is the strategic logic behind Australia’s expanding netwo…