ASIAL Security Insider

Hosted by Australian Security Industry Association Limited

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Episodes

158

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-AU

About the show

Drones and robotics are moving from niche capability to mainstream security tools—and at the same time, they’re creating entirely new attack paths for adversaries. In this episode of the ASIAL Security Insider Podcast, we speak with Deborah Evans (Edith Cowan University) about where unmanned systems and robotics are heading, what’s already in use across security and law enforcement, and what the industry must do to prepare. We discuss current developments in UAVs and other Unmanned Systems (UxS) and robotics, the pace-setting influence of China and the United States, and how modern conflict—especially Ukraine/Russia—is driving rapid innovation, adaptability, and proliferation. From a practical security operations lens, we explore what’s likely to be adopted next: more persistent surveillance and patrol, disaster response, and environmental monitoring, enabled by higher-level data analytics and increasingly autonomous systems. We also look further ahead at emerging capabilities such as micro and nano systems, swarming, and the evolution of Counter-UAS (C-UAS)—including detection methods and the trade-offs between kinetic, non-kinetic, and hybrid defeat approaches. Finally, we address the issues that will shape real-world adoption: preparedness, regulation, social and national security concerns, and why the security industry must lead proactively, accept measured crossover from military development, and invest intelligently in C-UAS readiness.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 7, 202635 min

Ep 158 - When Cyber Risk Becomes Physical

In this episode of the Security Insider Podcast, we speak with Alastair MacGibbon, one of Australia’s most experienced cyber security and technology resilience leaders.Alastair has shaped Australian cyber security from almost every angle: as a Federal Agent with the Australian Federal Police, founder of the Australian High Tech Crime Centre, Australia’s inaugural eSafety Commissioner, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Cyber Security, National Cyber Security Adviser, and founding executive at CyberCX.Ahead of his September conference presentation, Alastair joins us to discuss how AI is changing the threat environment, why the traditional separation between cyber, physical and insider risk is breaking down, and what physical security managers need to understand now to protect their people, facilities, information and operations.This conversation is designed to give security leaders practical ways to think about converged risk, without pre-empting the full detail of Alastair’s upcoming presentation.

May 12, 202638 min

Ep 157 - Supply Chain Under Siege: What Australian Security Leaders Must Do Now

The US–Iran conflict is a sharp reminder that supply-chain security is no longer just a logistics or procurement issue. For Australian organisations, geopolitical instability can quickly become a business continuity, security, insurance, transport and critical infrastructure problem.In this episode of Security Insider, we speak with Andrew Harris from Ironbark Strategic and Bilal Ali Khan from Spinnaker Infrastructure about what senior security managers in Australia should be doing now to understand and reduce their exposure to supply-chain disruption.The discussion explores the impact of conflict on maritime routes, energy costs, freight movement, insurance, critical suppliers, ports, warehousing, contractor risk and organisational resilience. We also examine the secondary risks that often emerge during disruption, including cargo theft, fraud, counterfeit goods, grey-market sourcing, insider threat and organised-crime activity.Most importantly, this episode focuses on practical action: how security leaders can map supply-chain dependencies, identify single points of failure, monitor escalation indicators, brief executives, strengthen crisis plans and build a more resilient supply-chain security capability for future geopolitical shocks.For senior security, risk, resilience, procurement and infrastructure leaders, this is a timely conversation about how to move from reactive crisis management to deliberate supply-chain preparedness.For more episodes, visit www.asial.com.au/news

April 17, 202636 min

Ep 156 - Crisis Communications for Security Leaders: What to Say When the Pressure Is On.

In this episode of Security Insider, host John Bigelow speaks with Tony Jaques, Director of Issue Outcomes, about crisis communications for security leaders. With cyber incidents, misinformation, deepfakes, regulatory pressure, and geopolitical instability all reshaping the risk landscape, this conversation explores how leaders should communicate during high-pressure events, what mistakes to avoid, and how to build trust when facts are still emerging. A practical episode for CISOs, CSOs, resilience leaders, and executives responsible for security and reputation. For more information, visit www.asial.com.au

April 8, 2026

Ep 155 - US-Iran Escalation: What Australian Security Leaders Need to Know

What does the conflict between the US and Iran mean for Australia’s security environment, and what should Australian organisations be doing now to prepare?In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, we discuss the real-world implications of escalating conflict in the Middle East for Australian businesses, critical infrastructure, and security leaders. We examine how this crisis could affect fuel and freight, cyber risk, supply chains, domestic threat conditions, and the broader security posture of Australian organisations.This conversation is especially relevant for security managers in large organisations, security company owners, and systems integrators who need to understand not just the geopolitics, but the practical consequences for people, assets, continuity, and risk planning.Our guest for this episode is is Major General Mick Ryan AM, one of Australia’s most respected military thinkers and commentators on strategy, war, and national security. Mick served for 35 years in the Australian Army and is now a Senior Fellow for Military Studies in the Lowy Institute’s International Security Program. He is widely known for his analysis of modern warfare, military adaptation, and the strategic implications of global conflict for Australia and its allies.For more episodes, visit www.asial.com.au

March 29, 202651 min

Ep 154 - Managing Insider Threats

In this episode of Security Insider, we examine the growing threat of insider risk and the rising importance of counterespionage in the corporate environment.Our guests for this episode are Lou Bladel, Uber’s Director of Insider Threat and former FBI Special Agent in Charge of Counterintelligence in New York, alongside Julian Claxton of Jayde Consulting and Brenton Steenkamp, Partner at Clayton Utz. Together, we discuss how trusted insiders become high-impact risks, why behaviour matters as much as technology, and what organisations must do to better protect people, data, and critical assets.

March 8, 202646 min

Ep 153 - Why Most Training Fails Under Extreme Pressure

Incidents like the Bondi and Westfield attacks demonstrate that extreme violence can happen anytime, anywhere, without warning. And in most cases, security personnel will be the first to respond.In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, we speak with Tony Blauer—CEO of Blauer Tactical Systems and founder of the SPEAR System—about “amygdala hijack”: the survival-driven takeover that can bypass cognition and degrade complex performance in fractions of a second. We unpack the startle–flinch response, why “technical” training often doesn’t transfer to real incidents, and how scenario-based training can be engineered to shorten reaction time and improve decision-making under extreme stress. If you run a security business and want training that holds up when it matters—this is the blueprint.For more podcasts like this one visit www.asial.com.au

February 15, 202657 min

Ep 152 - Mental Health In Security Part 2

In a world where the threat environment is volatile, and tensions are high, security teams are under more pressure than ever—facing verbal aggression, physical incidents, and the constant need to stay vigilant. But mental strain doesn’t always announce itself until performance drops, conflict escalates, or someone quietly burns out.In this, the second part of our exploration of mental health in security, we continue our discussion with Simon Brown-Greaves about how security companies can protect the mental health of their staff without sacrificing operational capability. In the last episode, we covered the biggest mental-health stressors impacting security professionals right now, as well as early indicators of burnout, cumulative stress injury, and trauma exposure.In this episode, you’ll learn:A practical post-incident support approach (what to do—and what to avoid)Training priorities for guards, supervisors, and leadershipHow to build a culture where support is used early, not after crisisIf you lead security teams—or you work the front line—this conversation will give you practical steps you can apply immediately.Subscribe for more conversations on security leadership, operational capability, and resilience in high-risk environments.

February 1, 20260 min

Ep 151 - Mental Health In Security Part1

In a world where the threat environment is volatile and tensions are high, security teams are absorbing more pressure than ever—verbal aggression, physical incidents, and the constant need to stay vigilant. But mental strain doesn’t always announce itself until performance drops, conflict escalates, or someone quietly burns out.In this episode, we speak with Simon Brown-Greaves about how security companies can protect the mental health of their staff without sacrificing operational capability. We cover the warning signs leaders often miss, what to do after critical incidents, how rosters and fatigue drive psychological risk, and what a real mental-health framework looks like on the ground—not just in policy documents.In this episode, you’ll learn:The biggest mental-health stressors impacting security professionals right nowEarly indicators of burnout, cumulative stress injury, and trauma exposureA practical post-incident support approach (what to do—and what to avoid)If you lead security teams—or you work the front line—this conversation will give you practical steps you can apply immediately.Subscribe for more conversations on security leadership, operational capability, and resilience in high-risk environments. visit www.asial.com.au

January 17, 202641 min

Ep150 - Drones, Robotics & Counter-UAS- What Security Needs to Prepare For

Drones and robotics are moving from niche capability to mainstream security tools—and at the same time, they’re creating entirely new attack paths for adversaries. In this episode of the ASIAL Security Insider Podcast, we speak with Deborah Evans (Edith Cowan University) about where unmanned systems and robotics are heading, what’s already in use across security and law enforcement, and what the industry must do to prepare. We discuss current developments in UAVs and other Unmanned Systems (UxS) and robotics, the pace-setting influence of China and the United States, and how modern conflict—especially Ukraine/Russia—is driving rapid innovation, adaptability, and proliferation.From a practical security operations lens, we explore what’s likely to be adopted next: more persistent surveillance and patrol, disaster response, and environmental monitoring, enabled by higher-level data analytics and increasingly autonomous systems. We also look further ahead at emerging capabilities such as micro and nano systems, swarming, and the evolution of Counter-UAS (C-UAS)—including detection methods and the trade-offs between kinetic, non-kinetic, and hybrid defeat approaches.Finally, we address the issues that will shape real-world adoption: preparedness, regulation, social and national security concerns, and why the security industry must lead proactively, accept measured crossover from military development, and invest intelligently in C-UAS readiness.Key topics coveredUAV/UxS and robotics: what’s real right nowSecurity use cases: surveillance, patrol, SAR, law enforcement supportHow drones are being used to defeat security and policingWhat’s next: autonomy + analytics + scaleSwarms, micro/nano systems, and autonomous weapons implicationsC-UAS: detection, kinetic vs non-kinetic vs combined approachesRegulation, adoption barriers, and what security should do now

January 9, 202624 min

Ep 149 - The Future of AI In Video Surveillance

92% of security leaders agree: the future of physical security is in the cloud. With this inevitable shift from on-premise setups to feature-rich cloud systems, join us as we explore the past, present and future of cloud-based security. In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, we speak with Dimitrie Sandu, Head of Solutions Engineering (EMEA), Verdaka about:• The benefits and considerations of pure cloud, hybrid cloud, and old-school security setups.• How AI can revolutionise physical security across any industry.• Why security pros are moving away from vintage on-prem solutions in favour of the cloud (spoiler: it’s all about speed and flexibility).• How can integrated systems improve threat detection and response in real-time?