2026 Festival

Speaker Profile

Elizabeth Buchanan

Elizabeth Buchanan PhD is a senior fellow with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. She co-founded the polar warfare program at West Point and was head of research for the Royal Australian Navy. Her previous books are Russian Energy Strategy in the Asia-Pacific and Red Arctic: Russian Arctic Strategy under Putin. Her latest book, So You Want to Own Greenland?, was released in September 2025.

What Makes Putin Tick?

Friday April 24
Halcyon Hall, The Continental
12.00pm / 60 mins

Elizabeth Buchanan and Will Partlett with Natasha Mitchell

Learn More Buy Tickets

Authoritarian Leaderships v People Power: The world on standby

Saturday April 25
The Ballroom, The Continental
2.30pm / 60 mins

Elizabeth Buchanan, Clinton Fernandes and Will Partlett with Tom Wright

Protesters and dissenters who live in authoritarian regimes risk plenty. For those who live in fragile democracies, especially when once-solid institutions start to teeter, it is also an anxious time, as our panel observes. 

Learn More Buy Tickets
Free Event

The Morning Feed

Sunday April 26
Halcyon Hall, The Continental
8.00am / 45 mins

with Steve Bracks and Elizabeth Buchanan

Join former Victorian premier Steve Bracks and Australian Strategic Policy Institute academic Dr Elizabeth Buchanan as they discuss the overnight news with Tom Wright.

This session is supported by Pitcher Partners

This is a Free Event, bookings essential


Learn More Buy Tickets

International Land Grabs: When is enough, enough?

Sunday April 26
The Ballroom, The Continental
10.30am / 60 mins

Elizabeth Buchanan, Bob Carr and Toby Walsh with Steve Bracks 

Learn More Buy Tickets

Return to Speakers and Moderators