Lowy Institute

Drone technology is now more accessible than ever. What was once the exclusive domain of state actors now falls within reach of nearly anyone with a credit card and a data signal. Domestic extremists are no exception — they are increasingly incorporating drones into attack plots, taking inspiration from the battlefield. Violent plots utilising drones have increased sharply over the past five years, but governments are underprepared.
In this episode, the Lowy Institute’s James Paterson and Lydia Khalil discuss their policy paper, The ungoverned sky: Drones and the domestic extremist threat, and outline their recommendations for how to address this growing challenge.
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In this Lowy Institute event held in Melbourne, former US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun offers his candid assessment of how the Trump White House views the Indo-Pacific.
Drawing on his experience as a son of Detroit and his deep knowledge of US trade and security policy, Stephen Biegun examines the forces reshaping Washington's approach to the region: from sweeping tariffs and alliance burden-sharing to the looming question of China.
Following his address, Stephen Biegun was joined in conversation by Lowy Institute Executive Director Dr Michael Fullilove AM.
Stephen Biegun served as US Deputy Secretary of State and Special Representative for North Korea in the first Trump administration. He previously held senior roles at Ford Motor Company and the US Senate, and served on the National Security Council under President George W. Bush.
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What is the strategy driving Donald Trump's assertive use of American power?
In the 2026 Owen Harries Lecture, former US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen E Biegun offers a frank insider's assessment of President Trump's foreign policy across both his first and second terms.
He discusses President Trump's reorientation of US policy toward China, the Abraham Accords, his efforts to maximise pressure on Iran, and the dramatic raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Stephen Biegun traces the historical precedents behind President Trump's decisions and examines the logic, and the limits, of a foreign policy built on fear, leverage, and dealmaking.He argues that a strategy designed to produce fear in adversaries and respect from everyone must be accompanied by consistent reassurance to friends.
Following the lecture, Stephen Biegun joined Lowy Institute Executive Director Dr Michael Fullilove AM for a conversation exploring these themes further.
Since 2013, the annual Owen Harries Lecture has honoured the significant contribution made to the international debate in Australia and the United States by Owen Harries, who was a Nonresident Fellow at the Lowy Institute. This event is part of the Rothschild & Co Distinguished International Fellowship.
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Australia's cultural and strategic ties lie in the Western world and its economic links are overwhelmingly in North Asia. So what is Southeast Asia to Australia? Why does the region matter, and what should Australia do to overcome its long-sightedness?
Michael Wesley is one of Australia's most incisive observers of world affairs. On Wednesday 18 March 2026, he joined the Lowy Institute's Sam Roggeveen to discuss why Australia perennially overlooks Southeast Asia in its strategic and economic considerations.
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Lowy Institute Lead Economist Roland Rajah and Nonresident Fellow Jenny Gordon discuss the economic implications of the expanding conflict in Iran. They put recent events in context, unpacking how we should understand and address the ongoing geoeconomic shocks.
More episodes of the Lowy Institute's podcasts are available on your favourite podcast apps, including Spotify, YouTube and Apple.
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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.