While Australia's level of political atomisation is far from as bad as what is being experienced in the broader Western world, we're not far-off. How we engage with generations of Australians will have dramatic ramifications for our national security in the immediate and longer term.
Following mounting political tensions across the Western world, with startling examples in the United Kingdom in recent weeks, Australia and Australians have been watching with bated breath as to how long it will take for those simmering tensions to boil over closer to home.
These undercurrents have served to combine with mounting intergenerational hostilities and competition over employment, housing and lifestyle opportunities, with younger Australians increasingly feeling like they were sold a bung deal.
Speaking with Ben Dullroy of Bravo Delta Advisory, host Steve Kuper unpacks the rising political isolation, tensions and, for the establishment parties of Australian politics, concern over the rise of populism on both the left and right of the political divide.
The pair detail the areas of comparison and contrast between Australia and other similar nations like the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, discussing emerging trends in the respective political discourse and agenda setting and what Australia can do to avoid the same pitfalls as some of our compatriot nations.
They also discuss the impact of immigration, declining employment prospects and one of the most overlooked aspects behind social cohesion – the dating scene and the intersections of social and cultural investment and national security.
Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground team