ASPI’s National Security Programs provide a strategic framework for strengthening Australia’s security, resilience, and global positioning. These programs extend beyond traditional defence and intelligence domains, complementing ASPI’s Counterterrorism & Strategy (CTS) and Defence & Strategy (DEFSTRAT) programs by delivering a holistic, forward-looking approach to national security.

Each program is designed to identify, assess, and address critical risks across domestic, regional, and geopolitical spheres, ensuring Australia remains prepared for emerging security threats and strategic challenges. Whether tackling economic coercion, supply chain vulnerabilities, cyber threats, or transnational organised crime, ASPI’s National Security Programs provide independent, evidence-based analysis to inform policy, shape decision-making, and build long-term resilience.

A core focus of these programs is enhancing public policy discourse and fostering a more informed national conversation on security issues that directly impact Australia’s economic stability, societal cohesion, and strategic autonomy. By bridging the gap between policymakers, industry leaders, and the broader public, ASPI’s National Security Programs play a critical role in equipping Australia with the tools to anticipate risks, mitigate vulnerabilities, and maintain national security in an increasingly contested world.

ASPI’s National Security Programs address the most pressing challenges to Australia’s security, resilience, and strategic positioning. Our research identifies vulnerabilities, assesses risks, and develops evidence-based policy recommendations to strengthen national preparedness. Current focus areas include:

• Resource security – Ensuring the resilience of critical minerals, rare earths, agriculture, and food supplies in the face of global competition and supply chain disruptions.
• Climate and environmental security – Examining the security implications of climate change, environmental shifts, and their impact on national resilience.
• Energy security and resilience – Strengthening Australia’s energy independence, securing supply chains, and ensuring the reliability of energy infrastructure.
• Security and policing – Addressing the challenges of counterterrorism, transnational organised crime, and the evolving role of law enforcement in national security.
• Intelligence, national security policy, and decision-making – Enhancing intelligence capabilities, improving strategic policymaking, and refining Australia’s approach to security governance.
• Sovereignty and resilience – Securing Australia’s supply chains, reinforcing critical infrastructure, and protecting against economic coercion and external interference.

By focusing on these areas, ASPI’s National Security Programs contribute to a stronger, more resilient Australia, ensuring policymakers and industry leaders are equipped with the insights needed to navigate complex security challenges and safeguard national interests.

You can explore our research here:

• The Climate and Security Policy Centre
• The Counterterrorism Program
• The Northern Australia Strategic Policy Centre
• The Statecraft and Intelligence Program
• The Strategic Policing and Law Enforcement Program