Episodes

Cybersecurity professionals spend enormous amounts of time and money building sophisticated systems designed to keep attackers out. But attackers do not always need to defeat the technology. Sometimes, they simply need to convince a person to open the door. In this episode of the Security Insider Podcast, we speak with professional mentalist and illusionist Andy Nunn about what decades of deliberately deceiving intelligent, attentive audiences can teach us about social engineering, cognitive bi...

In Part One, we explored the key findings from ASIAL’s landmark Security 2030 report, discussing regulatory reform, procurement challenges, industry visibility and the structural issues that must be addressed if the sector is to meet the demands of the future. Today, we shift our focus from the challenges to the solutions. Joining me once again are Dr Nicola Lockhart, Deputy Lead of Edith Cowan University’s Security & Intelligence Research Group, and Dr Warren Doudle, Lead of the Research Group...

Australia’s private security industry is entering a period of significant change. New technologies, evolving threats, workforce challenges, regulatory reform and increasing expectations around professionalisation are reshaping what security will look like over the next five years. In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, we speak with Dr Nicola Lockhart and Dr Warren Doudle from Edith Cowan University’s Security & Intelligence Research Group about the forthcoming Security 2030 report co...

Australia’s critical infrastructure operators are entering a new phase of security and risk management. With enhanced obligations under the Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) Act, rapidly advancing artificial intelligence, and growing supply chain vulnerabilities, organisations must rethink how they identify, manage, and respond to emerging threats. In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, Dr Maher Magrabi, Director of Security, Cybersecurity & Risk at Lote Consulting Pty Ltd, d...

Crowded public spaces present a unique security challenge. They must remain safe and resilient while also feeling open, welcoming and accessible. In this episode, we speak with Lauren Campbell, Security Manager at South Bank Corporation, ahead of her presentation at the Security Expo conference this September. Lauren discusses the changing role of security in major public precincts, the limitations of traditional guarding models, and the need for a more visible, proactive and coordinated appro...

Facial recognition remains one of the most controversial technologies in Australian security, sitting at the intersection of public safety, privacy, surveillance and corporate responsibility. In this episode, we speak with Alex MacDonald, Director at Vixels and former National Investigations and Security Manager at Bunnings, about the retailer’s use of facial recognition technology and how the issue has evolved since the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s ruling. We examine wh...

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 executi...

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 unde...

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, resilie...

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 p...

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 mu...

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–flinc...

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 prote...

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....

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...

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 physica...

From ‘smart cities’ to AI-shaped public spaces—how do we keep the cyber-physical world safe? In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, we’re joined by Adam Beck, the founding force behind the Smart Cities Council in Australia and New Zealand, to unpack what’s hype, what’s real, and what security leaders must do next. If you’re a corporate security manager, a security company owner, or a government security adviser, this episode will give you a pragmatic playbook: governance, architecture...

The security industry has a growing problem: not enough young leaders are choosing security as a first career. Furthermore, for those younger people who do enter the industry, too many struggle to see a clear path forward. In this episode, I speak with Codee Ludbey (CPP), co-founder of Core42 and a researcher focused on corporate security careers and progression. We explore what’s holding recruitment and retention back, how to make security a more attractive and future-focused profession, and wh...

In this episode of the ASIAL Security Insider Podcast, we sit down with Dr Tony Zalewski to unpack occupational health and safety in the security industry – what it really means in practice, and where organisations commonly get it wrong. Drawing on decades of experience in risk, security and major personal injury cases, Tony explains who is responsible for providing a safe workplace, how effective WHS systems are developed, and why context and consultation are critical. We also explore practical...

In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, we’re joined by Theresa Payton—a trailblazer in technology and cybersecurity and the first female White House Chief Information Officer under President George W. Bush Jr. As CEO and chief advisor at Fortalice, and a trusted voice for Fortune 500 boards and major news networks—plus a stint on CBS’s reality series Hunted—Theresa is renowned for translating complex cyber risk into practical action. Her presentation, delivered at Cybercon in Melbourne...

In this episode of the ASIAL Security Insider podcast, we are joined by Lee Odess, CEO of The Access Control Collective and founder of the Access Control Executive Brief, a widely read analysis hub for the physical access and smart lock space. Lee sits on the board of the Security Industry Association in the US and is known for transforming global research into practical playbooks for owners, integrators, and vendors. He recently delivered a talk titled “What’s Eating the Security Industry: How ...

In this episode of the ASIAL Security Insider podcast, we sit down with renowned psychologist and creative strategist Adam Ferrier, founder of Thinkerbell and regular panelist on Gruen. We explore how to uncover your business’s brand and use it as a powerful driver for growth. Adam shares insights from marketing science and creativity, revealing practical strategies for standing out in competitive markets and building stronger connections with customers.

In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, we’re tackling a topic that sits right at the heart of every security, event, and facility manager’s responsibility—keeping crowds safe. In 2021, the Astroworld Festival ended in tragedy when ten lives were lost in a crowd surge that investigators later concluded could have been prevented. Out of that heartbreak, the Pink Bows Foundation was created by the family of Madison Dubiski, one of the victims, to ensure no family has to endure that kind ...

In this episode of the ASIAL Security Insider podcast, we speak with Darrell Gilmour, Director of Technical Training at Skills for Security, an organisation in the UK that trains and provides apprentices to systems integrators. Darrell explains how they are helping to tackle the technical skills gap in the UK and why they have partnered with World Skills to promote Security Systems technician as a career of choice.