15 minutes in Canberra

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work in foreign policy? Canberra is buzzing with seasoned foreign affairs and strategic policy experts, but for newcomers and mid-tier professionals, the ‘Canberra bubble’ can be tricky to navigate.

Join host Hayley Channer on the ground as she speaks with colleagues from government, academia, and the private sector, to bring you their unique policy insights and career advice in a neat 15 minutes.  

Based in Canberra, Australia, Hayley Channer is a Senior Policy Fellow at the Perth USAsia Centre.

Why terrorism is still relevant today, particularly in Southeast Asia

In early 2021, the Head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation warned that Australia could face a terrorist attack in the next 12 months. While the COVID-19 pandemic has dominated news headlines and public consciousness, terrorist organisations in our region have been adapting their operations to the new political and social realities we face. 

On 15 minutes in Canberra, Hayley speaks with Levi West, Director of Terrorism Studies at Charles Sturt University. Levi has lectured extensively to law enforcement, intelligence, and military audiences in Australia and internationally including at the Naval War College in the United States and Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation in Indonesia. 

On the episode, Levi explains how terrorist cells in Southeast Asia are recruiting during COVID; draws links between terrorist organisations and groups such as QAnon, anti-vaxers, and right-wing extremists; and highlights how the Quad can cooperate on counterterrorism.