Gray Connolly on COVID-19, Geopolitics and Australia, and Reflections on Faith, Love, and Grief

Originally published with transcript at https://www.nickfabbri.com/bloom/grayconnolly

In this interview, Nick and Gray discuss:

• Gray’s life and career in the law, including his military service in the Royal Australian Navy

• The geopolitical lessons of 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic

• The Dragon-Bear strategic alliance between China and Russia

• The 2020 US presidential election, and reflections on Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump

• How the pandemic has brought out the Australian ethos of looking after our most vulnerable, including a reflection on Simpson and his donkey

• How the pandemic has upended the Australian political landscape and forced the conservative Liberal-National Coalition - and governments around the world - to abandon ideology in the face of crisis

• Longer-term impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on Australian society, including changes to Federation and federal-state relations

• Observations on modern Australian politics and the quality of our politicians and polity

• Reflections on love, faith, grief, and the meaning of Australia

Gray Connolly is a Sydney-based Barrister and Writer, and he is a reservist serving as a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Australian Navy. He writes about geopolitics, faith, history and war on his Strategy Counsel website. Gray’s writing has also appeared in an interesting range of Australian periodicals, including Meanjin and The Daily Telegraph. He regularly features on the ABC and Sky News as a commentator. He is a lifelong South Sydney and Richmond supporter. Twitter @GrayConnolly