Defending Democracy with Malcolm Turnbull

The clock of war is ticking in Taiwan – and it’s up to the west to stop it. Matt Pottinger worked as a reporter for the Wall Street Journal in China. He's a former U.S. Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and was President Trump's Deputy National Security Advisor.  In recent decades, Taiwan has cemented itself as a cornerstone of technological manufacturing, producing chips essential to almost every aspect of modern life. It is also of immense geographical importance in the region and vital to international trade routes.  The government in Taiwan, still called the Republic of China,  does not dare to declare itself an independent Taiwan for fear of provoking an invasion from mainland China.  In this episode, Matt Pottinger calls for urgent and deliberate action—in the form of military hard power—to stop China from invading Taiwan and prevent a geopolitical catastrophe for the world. Available on LiSTNRSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's unshakable determination to unite mainland China and Taiwan is one of our most significant threats to geopolitical stability.  Shirley Lin, a Taipei native, is the founder and chair of the Center for Asia Pacific Resilience and Innovation, or CAPRI. For decades, she's been at the forefront of defending democracy in Taiwan, a testament to the island's unwavering spirit.  In this episode, she delves into the evolution of Taiwan's identity, the soft power China has employed in attempts to sway the people of Taiwan, and the influence of the US policy of ambiguity.  While international observers might expect the war for Taiwan to be won in a military battle, she asserts that it is already being fought in the hearts and minds of its people. Available on LiSTNR  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can we build a society where different opinions are met with curiosity and understanding? Dame Louise Richardson is a counter-terrorism expert, author and the President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and she has some thoughts. In this episode, Dame Louise and Malcolm argue how our environments can bring people back to the centre, reduce division, and inoculate against extremism. Dame Louise believes the public is less divided than politicians would lead you to believe, but the American political system and broader media ecosystem do not encourage moderation.So, what can we learn from unifying institutions like the BBC and NHS? How can universities create space for people to disagree and understand? And is it possible to bring an increasingly partisan United States back together? Available on LiSTNRSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The potential of a second Trump Presidency has far-reaching implications, particularly in Europe.Cecilia Malmstrom is a Swedish-born politician elected to the European Parliament in 1999, later serving as European commissioner for trade and as European commissioner for home affairs. When Trump was elected, Cecilia promoted free trade worldwide, including an EU/Australia free trade deal when the President imposed tariffs on steel and aluminium.In this episode, Malcolm and Cecilia discuss how immigration and globalisation polarise communities, the threat of right-wing populism to the European Union, and the importance of international cooperation in addressing global challenges like Ukraine. Available on LiSTNRSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump's MAGA movement has inspired a following of non-college-educated, working-class Republican voters; but it's also had a profound impact on Republican policy.   Ben Ginsberg is a Republican lawyer who wrote Lost, Not Stolen: The Conservative Case that Trump Lost and Biden Won the 2020 Presidential Election. He says the Republican party would be better off arguing for conservative policy solutions rather than pandering to Donald Trump's personalised wishes. Malcolm and Ben discuss the challenges faced by electoral officials in the US and why defending electoral integrity is crucial for maintaining faith in the electoral process and ensuring a peaceful transfer of power.  They also discuss what America would look like under Trump 2.0, including the Heritage Foundation's manifesto of Project 2025 and Trump's vengeance towards his political opponents.Available on LiSTNRSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could a Trump 2.0 bring more blatant and dangerous violations of the norms and rules of democracy than we've seen before? Larry Diamond, a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institute at Stanford University, has dedicated his life to the cause of liberal democracy. Malcolm and Larry discuss the success of centrist candidates in Australia, which is improbable in America because of a combination of primary elections, the sore loser rule and first-past-the-post voting. They discuss how, in 2020, Alaska ended partisan primaries and adopted rank-choice voting (preferential voting), allowing more moderate candidate Lisa Murkowski to emerge victorious. Available on LiSTNR See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a world of social media echo chambers, misinformation and partisan media, the lines between truth and lies are blurrier than ever. Jonathan Rauch knows this well - he's the author of The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth, which describes the crisis in our society, in which we are no longer divided based on different opinions but on other realities. Malcolm and Jonathan discuss the norms and rules of reality-based politics and journalism and how communities interact to seek the truth. Rauch argues that left-wing-cancel culture and right-wing disinformation are now each other's best friends.  Truth in politics is on the ballot in November. Available on LiSTNRSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the US election looms, Malcolm talks to Eric H. Holder, Jr., about the United States electoral system, how it compares to Australia, and the significant challenges to democracy the US faces today. Eric H. Holder Jr, served as the 82nd Attorney General of the United States of America from 2009 to 2015 in the Obama Administration.  Holder argues that the health of a democracy can be measured by the number of people who can easily engage in the electoral process. America has voluntary voting and a system that allows state legislatures to draw district boundaries through gerrymandering. This practice significantly distorts the political landscape and skews representatives to the left and right, making the primary the main contest for a safe seat. Malcolm and Eric delve into the intricacies of the US election process, discussing the role of the Electoral College and its implications for the presidential race, particularly for Joe Biden.Available on LiSTNRSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Barbara Walter has been part of a CIA task force looking at predictive models for where civil wars might break out around the world. As the task force looked closely at the data, they discovered that the two most predictive factors were well-established in America.    Barbara says the 2024 U.S. Presidential election is a genuine trigger for violence, and if the U.S. does not change its course, it could end up in a second civil war.   Malcolm talks to Barbara about what leads modern democracies toward violence and what can be done to avert a second civil war in the United States.   Available on Listnr See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you do when a country suddenly falls into darkness?    Afghan Australian businessman Saad Mohseni is Chairman, Chief Executive, and CEO of Moby Group, which runs Afghanistan's 24/7 Tolo News channel.  Saad is widely applauded for advancing press freedom and defending women's rights; Time Magazine recognized him in 2011 as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.     In this episode, Saad relives the chaotic 48 hours inside his Tolo news network when the Taliban took over as U.S. forces pulled out.   Malcolm and Saad alsodiscuss how the Australian war crimes investigation and the Ben Roberts Smith defamation case were reported inside Afghanistan. And how the remaining Tolo news journalists continue to report on women's rights.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Climate change and the decline of democracy are two global crises that have come to a head in recent years. Transitioning to green energy is key to tackling both.   Can we make enough progress fast enough to save the planet and democracy?   Energy security expert Anna Mikulska discusses how Vladimir Putin weaponised gas for decades before the ground invasion of Ukraine and warns that Europe is not yet clear from danger.   Malcolm and Anna discuss if the transition to clean energy could save European democracies from Russian aggression as well as save the planet.  Available on Listnr See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Congressman Adam Kinzinger reflects on the toxicity that has overtaken the United States and why it’s almost certain Donald Trump will be the Republican Presidential nominee. What would a Trump 2.0 Presidency look like and what does this mean for the allies and democracy around the world? Available on LiSTNRSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How is artificial intelligence reshaping the battlefield? As a teenager, Palmer Luckey designed the Oculus Rift, a virtual reality headset he then founded Oculus VR and sold it to Facebook for $2.3b. Now he is bringing the ingenuity of Silicon Valley to defence technology. Founder of Anduril Industries Palmer is on a mission to reshape our defence forces. Find out how his technologies are helping Ukrainians fight against Vladimir Putin. In this episode, Malcolm and Palmer discuss if killer robots will save or destroy us.Available on ListnrSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even the founders of generative AI ChatGPT say they are “super nervous” about how autocrats will use the platform.  This new release of artificial intelligence has the potential to unleash disinformation at a pace and scale that is unprecedented.  We won’t be able to fact-check ourselves of this problem. Malcolm Turnbull talks to one of the world's leading voices on AI Toby Walsh, Author of Machines Behaving Badly.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should Tik Tok be banned for Australian users? Is our social media data safe? How much power do foreign-owned apps have in a free and open society?Last year the Australian government banned TikTok from staff devices over security concerns, while many experts say it should be banned full-stop. Still, over seven million Australians log on each month.  Justin Bassi is the executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. He was also Malcolm Turnbull's national security advisor when he was prime minister. In this episode, he explains why Tik Tok poses such a great threat. Available now on Listnr.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Democracy around the world is being challenged from forces within and afar. Autocrats are gaining momentum and the release of generative AI models like ChatGPT could play to their advantage. Join Malcolm Turnbull in his podcast, Defending Democracy as we open up a discussion about the future of democracy. Hear how insiders are thinking about the challenges and ultimately how we chart a pathway to a more secure and peaceful world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who are the new autocrats and what’s their playbook?   We are now living in the era of the strongman - and every dictator has built on the accomplishments of his predecessors. Hitler watched Mussolini, and Gaddafi learned from Lt Col Gamal Abdul Nasser. So why, despite the evidence of history, do strongmen still hold such appeal for us? What does the playbook reveal about  Donald Trump’s run for the 2024 Presidency?  Malcolm talks with Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Author of Author, Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present about how the new high-tech autocrats are gaining popularity.  Available on Listnr.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rupert Murdoch's Fox News has settled with Dominion for $787.5 USD; he's also fired the network's most popular host Tucker Carlson. Former Guardian newspaper editor, Alan Rusbridger and Malcolm Turnbull have both known Rupert Murdoch for decades. In this episode, they unpack the chaos inside the network and evaluate the carnage wrought by the reckless embrace of Donald Trump’s big lie.    Alan Rusbridger was the editor of the Guardian for over 20 years and during that time he took on Rupert Murdoch when no one else would. Journalists at the Guardian uncovered the infamous phone hacking scandal in the United Kingdom that led to the Leveson Inquiry and the closure of one of Rupert Murdoch’s flagship properties News of the World.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger took the infamous phone call from Donald Trump in which he repeatedly urged him to alter the outcome of the 2020 presidential vote.A fellow Republican, Secretary Raffensperger stood up to Trump but after the call he was doxxed and his family received death threats.A grand jury is now considering whether to charge Trump for crimes against Georgia’s electoral laws. Malcolm Turnbull and Brad Raffensperger discuss elections, politics and Trump.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a rare interview, former British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks with Malcolm Turnbull about the state of democracy in Europe. As British Prime Minister at the time of the successful Brexit referendum, it fell to Theresa May to lead her country out of the European Union. When her own Conservative Party voted against the withdrawal deal for the third time she resigned as PM.  May reflects on the Brexit vote and speculates on what Putin will mean for the future of democracy in Europe.  Available now on LiSTNR.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.