The Focus

Auscast Network
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Philosophy
  • Updated Weekly

The Focus is the flagship current affairs podcast of SAGE International, an independent, Adelaide-based geopolitical  think tank. Hosted by Dr. John Bruni—a veteran geopolitical commentator with over 24 years in the Australian media—The Focus brings a critical edge to global affairs. John's expertise is built on decades of experience, including time with the Royal United Services Institute of Australia, work as a university lecturer, senatorial foreign affairs adviser, analyst for Jane’s Intelligence Review, and Gulf-based military analyst. Produced by Neil Smart, The Focus cuts through the noise of biased media to deliver sharp, informed insights into the major issues shaping Australia and the world. In an age of global disruption and complexity, knowing which questions to ask is more vital than ever.

  1. 2 days ago

    Jenny Gordon | Can Australia Afford the Future? | Part 1

    🌐 The global balance is shifting. For decades, economists claimed trade would keep the peace—but what happens when the world’s two biggest superpowers weaponise trade against each other? 🇺🇸 vs 🇨🇳 Who really holds the power? Has globalisation created an economic ticking time bomb—where neither side can strike without risking total financial meltdown? And what about countries caught in the crossfire—like Australia? Can smaller nations break free, or are they doomed to become pawns in the ultimate power struggle between Washington and Beijing? These are the questions that will define our future. They will decide who thrives, who survives, and who gets left behind. Get ready for an epic discussion with Dr Jenny Gordon—economist, global strategist, and former Chief Economist at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In Part 1 of this explosive two-part series, we dive into the economic question of the century:Can the world stay connected—or are we headed for a new era of economic warfare? Hit play and join the debate now! 🔥 About Dr Jenny Gordon Dr Jenny Gordon is an economist specialising in international trade, economic development, public policy and the intersection between economics and strategic affairs. She is an Honorary Professor at the Australian National University, a Non-Resident Fellow at the Lowy Institute, and formerly served as Chief Economist at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Over a distinguished career spanning academia, government and public policy, Dr Gordon has worked extensively on trade liberalisation, economic reform, productivity, migration, climate policy, regional economic integration and Australia’s engagement with Asia. Before DFAT, she held senior positions at the Australian Productivity Commission, where she contributed to some of Australia’s most influential economic policy research. Her work focuses on helping governments navigate complex economic challenges in an era increasingly shaped by geopolitical competition, technological disruption and shifting patterns of globalisation. Selected Publications and Major Works Books and Edited Volumes Contemporary China: A New Superpower? (co-editor, with Ligang Song)Rising China: Global Challenges and Opportunities (contributor)China’s Domestic Transformation in a Global Context (contributor) ⸻ Major Reports and Research Australian Foreign Policy and Trade Australia’s Engagement with the World: The Role of Trade and Economic DiplomacyAustralia and the Changing Global Trading SystemThe Future of Globalisation: Implications for AustraliaTrade, Technology and Strategic Competition See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1hr 1min

  2. 12 June

    Julian Lindley-French | Britain’s Strategic Reckoning

    Britain’s Defence Secretary has resigned. NATO is transforming. Europe is rearming.So is Britain 🇬🇧 still a serious power? Against this backdrop, the recent resignation of Defence Secretary John Healey over the Defence Investment Plan has reignited debate over whether Britain is matching its ambitions with the resources needed to achieve them.  Show notes: Professor Julian Lindley-French is one of Europe’s leading strategic thinkers and defence analysts. He is the founder of The Alphen Group, a Distinguished Fellow at the Europe Center of the Atlantic Council, a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Statecraft, and a strategic adviser to governments, military institutions, and international organisations. A prolific author and commentator on NATO, European security, transatlantic relations, and defence policy, Professor Lindley-French is widely recognised for his expertise on the future of Western security and the evolving global strategic environment. Selected Publications: Future War and the Defence of Europe; The North Atlantic Treaty Organization: The Enduring Alliance; Little Britain? Twenty-First Century Strategy for a Middling European Power; The New Geopolitics of Terror; The Oxford Handbook of War; and, most recently, The Retreat from Strategy: Britain’s Dangerous Confusion of Interests with Values.  Julian’s article Critical Defence Theory - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/critical-defence-theory-professor-dr-julian-lindley-french-urjde/  UK Defence Secretary John Healey resigned on 11 June 2026, warning that Britain’s Defence Investment Plan lacked the funding needed to meet growing threats from Russia, the Middle East, and wider global instability.  UK Strategic Defence Review - The UK’s 2025 Strategic Defence Review is the most ambitious defence overhaul in a generation, committing Britain to a “NATO First” strategy and a return to warfighting readiness” in response to what it describes as a new era of global threats. The Defence Investment Plan - This is the financial blueprint intended to turn Britain’s Strategic Defence Review from strategy into capability over the next decade. Overton Window - The Overton Window describes the boundaries of acceptable political debate. Successful politicians often don’t change public opinion directly—they shift the window of what the public considers possible. Mixed Economy - A mixed economy combines free markets with government intervention in key sectors such as healthcare, infrastructure, education, and national security. By contrast, neoliberalism generally favours lower regulation, privatisation, free trade, and a reduced role for the state in economic activity. Telstra Sale - In the 1997-98 financial year, shortly after the first share sale, Telstra recorded revenue of AUD17.3 bilion & after tax profits of more than AUD 3 billion. Before its sale, Telstra was a government entity. Qantas - At the time of sale, Qantas had an operational profit of AUD 250 million. It had debt based on the fact that airlines require expensive aircraft, complex logistics, maintenance regimes and infrastructure. But it was operating profitably under government ownership. In March 2025 - The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) sent a small naval task force to the Tasman Sea and conducted live fire exercises, forcing trans-Tasman airlines to re-route. It then went on to circumnavigate Australia. This deployment demonstrated the PLAN’s capability to conduct long-range operations. Structurally - The People’s Liberation Army, while improving its external war-fighting capabilities, has its primary mission as regime survival - the defence of the CCP. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1hr 44min

  3. 4 June

    Roy Casagranda | The Great Realignment

    A global power shift is underway—and most people haven't realised how profound it is. From the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz to Ukraine, China, energy security, economics, and the future of American power, Professor Roy Casagranda maps the emerging strategic landscape and explains why today's crises may be early indicators of a much larger transformation in world affairs. This conversation explores:
• Iran, Israel and the Strait of Hormuz
• Ukraine and the future of Europe
• U.S.-China strategic competition
• Energy security and economic disruption
• The future of global power The question is no longer whether the world is changing. The question is who will shape what comes next. That final line is particularly strong because it leaves the audience with a reason to click. Show Notes: About Professor Roy Casagranda Roy Casagranda is a Professor of Government at the UAE University, Dubai, a political scientist, historian, public lecturer, and commentator on Middle Eastern affairs. He is widely known for his interdisciplinary approach, combining history, politics, economics, philosophy, and culture to explain contemporary global events. He is also a Golden Narrative Laureate and a regular commentator on international affairs.   Latest Projects & Publications Books The Blood Throne of CariaEmpire of the Nightingale   Current Lecture Series Lessons from the Past — Museum of the Future, Dubai (2025–2026)The 1000-Year Legacy of Ibn SinaThe Roman RepublicThe Great Library of AlexandriaThe ReconquistaModern Ideologies and Political Thought   Follow Professor Roy Casagranda YouTubeDr. Roy Casagranda YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@DrRoyCasagranda  PodcastDr. Roy Casagranda Podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/dr-roy-casagranda-podcast/id1837193563 X (Twitter)@RoyCasagranda FacebookRoy Casagranda Books & Lectures https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578983973489  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1hr 46min

  4. 28 May

    Prof. Avi Loeb | The Crisis of Perception: UFOs, AI & Reality

    Are UFOs real — or are humans simply terrible witnesses? In this thought-provoking episode of The Focus Podcast, Avi Loeb joins John Bruni to explore the dangerous intersection of UFOs/UAPs, artificial intelligence, military surveillance systems, and the limits of human perception. As AI increasingly interprets battlefield data faster than humans can, could false positives, hallucinations, or sensor misinterpretation trigger geopolitical crises between nuclear powers?This is not a conversation about “little green men.” It is a serious discussion about reality, cognition, technology, and strategic risk in the 21st century. Show Notes: About The Galileo Project The Galileo Project is a Harvard-led scientific initiative founded by Avi Loeb focused on the systematic search for evidence of extraterrestrial technological artifacts and the scientific study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP).   Books Published Bestselling TitlesInterstellarExtraterrestrial Top Medium Articles “The End of Cosmic Modesty”“Why We Should Search for Alien Civilizations”“The Scientific Method and UAPs” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1hr 1min

  5. 21 May

    The End of the Post-Cold War Order? | Andrew Michta

    For decades, the West operated under a simple assumption: American power would underpin global stability indefinitely. But today, that assumption is under growing pressure. In this episode of The Focus Podcast, John Bruni speaks with Andrew A. Michta about the future of NATO, Europe’s rapid rearmament, the wars in Ukraine and Iran, the limits of American power, and whether the post-Cold War order is beginning to fracture before our eyes. Show Notes: In this episode of The Focus Podcast, John Bruni speaks with Andrew A. Michta about the future of NATO, Europe’s rearmament, the wars in Ukraine and Iran, and whether the era of uncontested American power is beginning to fracture under the pressure of simultaneous global crises. About Andrew A. Michta Andrew A. Michta is Professor of Strategic Studies at the Hamilton School at the University of Florida and a Nonresident Senior Fellow with the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the  Atlantic Council. He is one of America’s leading strategic thinkers on NATO, European security, Russia, and great-power competition.  Recent Publications & Commentary by Andrew A. Michta 👉🏻“Russia Is the Big Winner in the Iran War” —  19FortyFive Author Page👉🏻“Why Putin Believes He Can Win His ‘Civilizational War’ Against the West” —  19FortyFive Author Page👉🏻“Donald Trump’s Russia Strategy Could End NATO as We Know It” —  19FortyFive Author Page See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    59 min

  6. 15 May

    The Carney Moment: A Post-American World?

    What happens when middle powers stop trusting the old global order? In this episode of The Focus, host John Bruni speaks with Kishore Mahbubani — one of the world’s leading geopolitical thinkers — about the growing fragmentation of the international system, the future of American leadership, the rise of Asia, and whether middle powers can shape the emerging global order rather than simply survive it.  Show Notes: In this episode of The Focus, Kishore Mahbubani — former President of the UN Security Council, veteran Singaporean diplomat, and one of Asia’s most influential geopolitical thinkers — joins John Bruni to discuss the accelerating transformation of the global order. Topics include: The “Carney Moment” and the rise of middle powersWhether Western dominance is fadingStrategic autonomy in an age of interdependenceU.S.-China rivalry and the future of the Indo-PacificWhether allies still trust the old international systemAustralia’s strategic dilemma between Washington and BeijingCan middle powers genuinely shape the future — or are they merely surviving it? Prof. Mahbubani brings decades of diplomatic experience and strategic insight to one of the defining questions of the 21st century: Is the old order breaking down faster than a new one can emerge? Prof. Kishore Mahbubani’s latest books: Can Asians Think of Peace? (2025) Living the Asian Century: An Undiplomatic Memoir (2024) The Asian 21st Century (2022)  Follow The Focus Podcast for more conversations on geopolitics, defence, strategy, and global affairs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1hr 3min

  7. 7 May

    Scott Lucas | The World Trump Made

    Is the United States still the stabilising force of the international system — or has it become part of the instability? In our first episode back, Professor Scott Lucas joins John Bruni to unpack the Iran War, the growing global energy crisis, NATO’s deepening anxiety, and whether Trump-era America has entered a state of permanent political and strategic turbulence. From the Strait of Hormuz to Washington itself, this is a hard conversation about power, disorder, and whether the world’s superpower is now accelerating the very chaos it once contained. Show Notes: After a period away due to medical leave, John Bruni returns to The Focus for a major conversation on the state of the international system — and the growing instability surrounding the United States itself. Joining us is Professor Scott Lucas from the Clinton Institute in Dublin, one of the most respected analysts of American politics and international affairs. Together, they examine whether the United States is still acting as the stabilising force of the global order — or whether internal political turmoil, strategic overreach, and the Trump presidency are now contributing to international instability. Topics include: The Iran War and risks of wider U.S. escalationStrait of Hormuz tensions and global energy insecurity“World War E” — energy as the new geopolitical battlespaceConcerns over American reliabilityTrump, executive power, and institutional strain Scott’s presence on socials: X: @ScottLucas_EABluesky: @scottlucas.bysky.socialInstagram: scottlucasworldviewWeb: https://eaworldview.com/  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1hr 1min

  8. 18 Mar

    Australia’s Political Reset

    George Mamalis joins us for a deep dive into South Australia, political power, and the future of the Australian system. Australia’s political landscape is shifting — and not just in South Australia.In this episode of The Focus, we explore the deeper forces reshaping politics across the country. Dr. John Bruni sits down with George-Alexander Mamalis — political commentator and host of The Adelaide Set — for a wide-ranging discussion on the changing nature of Australian politics. While the conversation begins with the upcoming South Australian election, it quickly expands into a broader analysis of the structural, cultural, and philosophical shifts shaping modern democracy. We examine: The dominance — and limitations — of the Labor–Liberal political system The role of leadership personality versus policy The growing country–city divide in Australia The rise of outsider political movements, including Turning Point Australia Power networks and influence, including “The Adelaide Set” The impact of global ideas and emerging debates — including transhumanism — on political discourse This is not just a conversation about South Australia — it is a discussion about where Australian politics is heading, and what that means in a rapidly changing world. Call to Action:
Before you go — drop a comment below and let us know two things: where you're watching from, and whether you think politics today is about ideas… or personalities. Show Notes: 🔖 About the Guest George-Alexander Mamalis is a political commentator based in South Australia and the host of The Adelaide Set, where he explores political, cultural, and societal issues shaping contemporary Australia. If you want to know more about George, head to his YouTube Channel, George Mamalis, which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@georgiemamalis  🎙️ About the Host Dr. John Bruni is a geopolitical analyst and CEO of SAGE International Australia, and host of The Focus Podcast, where he engages with leading thinkers and practitioners on global affairs, defence, and geopolitics. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1hr 22min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Focus is the flagship current affairs podcast of SAGE International, an independent, Adelaide-based geopolitical  think tank. Hosted by Dr. John Bruni—a veteran geopolitical commentator with over 24 years in the Australian media—The Focus brings a critical edge to global affairs. John's expertise is built on decades of experience, including time with the Royal United Services Institute of Australia, work as a university lecturer, senatorial foreign affairs adviser, analyst for Jane’s Intelligence Review, and Gulf-based military analyst. Produced by Neil Smart, The Focus cuts through the noise of biased media to deliver sharp, informed insights into the major issues shaping Australia and the world. In an age of global disruption and complexity, knowing which questions to ask is more vital than ever.

Information

  • Creator
    Auscast Network
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Auscast Network
  • Show Website
    The Focus

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