Safeguarding Australia 2026 – Plenary Program
The plenary program examines how Australia is strengthening national defence, sovereign capability and resilience, and working with partners to advance collective security.
Opening Strategic Leaders’ Dialogue
Middle Powers: Collective Security in a Contested Strategic Order
Senior strategic perspectives on how middle powers are responding to a more contested strategic environment, and how they are strengthening partnerships and contributing to collective security outcomes across the Indo-Pacific.
As strategic competition intensifies, middle powers are taking on greater responsibility for delivering capability, strengthening resilience and contributing to deterrence. This dialogue will explore how nations are adapting alliance settings, deepening strategic partnerships and aligning economic and security priorities to operate effectively in a more uncertain environment.
Session 1
National Defence and the Strategic Environment: Alliances in a Contested World
Are current alliance frameworks sufficient to sustain deterrence, force posture and collective security in an increasingly contested strategic environment?
Strategic competition is intensifying and alliance expectations are evolving. As Australia shifts toward a National Defence posture, alliances must adapt to support deterrence, enhance operational integration and deliver credible capability outcomes.
Topics may include:
• Deterrence and alliance credibility in a contested strategic environment
• Force posture and operational integration among allies
• Burden-sharing and evolving alliance expectations
• The role of middle powers in strengthening collective security
Understand how alliance dynamics are shifting and what this means for deterrence, integration and operational readiness.
Session 2
Collective Security and Strategic Partnerships: The Role of Middle Powers
How are middle powers strengthening collective security and shaping strategic outcomes in a shifting strategic order?
As the strategic environment becomes more contested, middle powers are playing a more active role in advancing collective security through deeper cooperation and capability partnerships. Frameworks such as AUKUS are reshaping how nations collaborate to deliver capability, enhance deterrence and strengthen regional stability.
Topics may include:
• The role of AUKUS in advancing capability and deterrence
• Indo-Pacific security architecture and evolving partnership models
• Capability-driven cooperation among middle powers
• Strengthening collective security through strategic alignment
Examine how middle powers are translating strategic intent into capability and shaping collective security outcomes.
Session 3
Sovereign Capability and the Defence Industrial Imperative
Can nations secure defence capability and force readiness in an era of contested supply chains and accelerating demand?
National Defence depends on the ability to deliver capability at pace. This requires a resilient industrial base, secure supply chains and effective integration between defence, industry and technology partners.
Topics may include:
• Sovereign capability and defence industrial resilience
• Supply chain security and access to critical inputs
• Capability acquisition, delivery and sustainment at scale
• Industry’s role in supporting operational readiness
Explore how Australia can strengthen its industrial base and deliver capability to meet evolving strategic demands.
Session 4
Economic Security and National Resilience in a Contested World
Are energy, trade and supply chains becoming central to national defence and strategic competition?Economic security is increasingly integral to national defence. Disruptions to energy systems, trade routes and critical resources are reshaping how nations prepare for and respond to strategic risk.
Topics may include:
• Economic coercion, trade disruption and national response strategies
• Energy security, maritime chokepoints and supply chain vulnerabilities
• Critical minerals and strategic resource competition
• Economic resilience and mobilisation in crisis
Understand how economic security underpins national resilience and defence preparedness.
Session 5
Technology, Deterrence and the Strategic Edge
Will technological advantage reshape deterrence and determine the balance of power?
Emerging technologies are transforming how nations deter, compete and operate. Advantage is increasingly defined by the ability to integrate data, harness artificial intelligence and secure critical systems.
Topics may include:
• Artificial intelligence and decision advantage in defence
• Cyber resilience and protection of critical infrastructure
• Data integration, intelligence and strategic warning
• Emerging technologies and their impact on deterrence
Assess how technology is reshaping capability, decision-making and the future of warfare.
Session 6
Whole-of-Nation Resilience and Preparedness
Can Australia sustain national resilience and preparedness in the face of growing internal and external pressures?
National Defence extends beyond military capability to include social cohesion, institutional trust and the ability to respond to disruption. Building resilience requires coordinated action across government, industry and society.
Topics may include:
• Countering extremism and safeguarding social cohesion
• Disinformation, influence operations and public trust
• Whole-of-nation preparedness and crisis response
• Strengthening resilience across critical systems and communities
Explore how Australia can strengthen national resilience and preparedness in an increasingly contested environment.
Dinner Keynote
The Summit’s signature keynote address, offering a senior Australian perspective on global developments, national priorities and the challenges and opportunities shaping Australia’s security, sovereignty and resilience in an increasingly uncertain world.
The program is currently in development and will be updated as speakers and sessions are confirmed.