The Pub Test

The Pub Test
  • 5.0 (16)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Australian politics, minus the spin. Neil Pharaoh and Erin Watson put the week's biggest political stories through the pub test - does it make sense, is it fair, and what does it really mean? New episodes weekly.

  1. Nepean By-Election's One Nation Surprise, NT Crisis & Why Japan Matters Right Now

    6 DAYS AGO

    Nepean By-Election's One Nation Surprise, NT Crisis & Why Japan Matters Right Now

    The Nepean by-election and what it reveals about shifting voter behaviour, a confronting case in the Northern Territory and the questions it raises about national attention and response. We also look beyond Australia, as Japan’s Prime Minister visits and signals a deeper shift in the Indo-Pacific. -------------------------- This episode was powered by Tanck and Baker & York https://tanck.com.au/ https://www.bakerandyork.com/ https://www.thepubtestpodcast.com/ Produced by Keehlan Ferrari-Brown

    51 min
  2. Australia’s Insurance Crisis, Gas Tax Debate & What Rwanda Gets Right

    27 APR

    Australia’s Insurance Crisis, Gas Tax Debate & What Rwanda Gets Right

    Australia is facing a growing insurance crisis that could reshape where people can live, while debates over gas profits and taxation raise deeper questions about who really benefits from the country’s natural resources. The episode also explores Rwanda, one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies, and whether its model of governance offers lessons for the rest of the world. -------------------------- This episode was powered by Tanck and Baker & York https://tanck.com.au/ https://www.bakerandyork.com/ https://www.thepubtestpodcast.com/ Produced by Keehlan Ferrari-Brown

    43 min
  3. Sydney or Bust and the Straits that Control Everything

    20 APR

    Sydney or Bust and the Straits that Control Everything

    Sydney is often seen as Australia’s global city but is it still working for the people who live there? Neil and Erin break down the reality behind rising housing costs, urban planning decisions, and does the Sydney still pass the Pub Test? Then joined by Bec Strating the Director of the Centre for Global Security at La Trobe University to unpack what’s happening in one of the world’s most critical trade routes and why it matters far beyond the region. This episode was powered by Tanck and Baker & York https://tanck.com.au/ https://www.bakerandyork.com/

    54 min
  4. Government Failure & What New Zealand Gets Right

    13 APR

    Government Failure & What New Zealand Gets Right

    Australia’s healthcare squeeze is no longer abstract. This week, Neil Pharoh and Erin Watson unpack why seeing a GP has become harder and more expensive, why public systems feel less capable of delivering basic services and what New Zealand’s political system reveals about voting, coalition rule, and democratic stability. -------------------------- This episode was powered by Tanck and Baker & York https://tanck.com.au/ https://www.bakerandyork.com/

    43 min
  5. The Lie of Fuel Security & Can NATO Fail?

    6 APR

    The Lie of Fuel Security & Can NATO Fail?

    Australians are being told not to worry about fuel supply, but is the truth getting in the way of a good story? Why Albanese’s address to the nation may have been more than reassurance. & whether NATO is starting to crack under pressure. Ed Mason is a Jet Zero biofuel project developer. https://jetzero.com.au/ -------------------------- This episode was powered by Tanck and Baker & York https://tanck.com.au/ https://www.bakerandyork.com/ https://www.thepubtestpodcast.com/ Produced by Keehlan Ferrari-Brown Australia is confronting a fuel vulnerability that has suddenly moved from policy background noise to national political crisis. This episode breaks down Australia’s dependence on imported fuel, the case for sovereign capability, the Prime Minister’s rare address to the nation, and how different states are responding as the pressure builds. It also turns outward to NATO, Trump and the future of alliance politics. What matters here is not just the headline event, but the structural weakness underneath it. Neil Pharaoh and Erin Watson bring political and geopolitical analysis to stories that are bigger than the daily spin cycle, connecting Australian politics to the wider international system.

    56 min
  6. Victoria’s Free Public Transport, Tax Reform & Why Sri Lanka Suddenly Matters

    30 MAR

    Victoria’s Free Public Transport, Tax Reform & Why Sri Lanka Suddenly Matters

    Big events. Hard questions. No spin. What Victoria’s free fares can’t actually fix. Why Australia’s tax system no longer rewards work. & how Sri Lanka’s strategic position suddenly matters again This episode was powered by Tanck and Baker & York https://tanck.com.au/ https://www.bakerandyork.com/ https://www.thepubtestpodcast.com/ Produced by Keehlan Ferrari-Brown

    52 min
  7. One Nation Rising, Petrol Prices Spike & Is Australia Facing a More Dangerous World?

    23 MAR

    One Nation Rising, Petrol Prices Spike & Is Australia Facing a More Dangerous World?

    Big events. Hard questions. No spin. What South Australia’s election result really says about One Nation and the Liberal vote. Why petrol prices keep rising and how Australia left itself so exposed. & what instability in the Middle East could mean for the region and for Australia. This episode was powered by Tanck and Baker & Yorkhttps://tanck.com.au/https://www.bakerandyork.com/https://www.thepubtestpodcast.com/Produced by Keehlan Ferrari-Brown

    50 min
  8. Canberra Said No, Howards Gun Laws & Why Britain Has No Way Out

    16 MAR

    Canberra Said No, Howards Gun Laws & Why Britain Has No Way Out

    Big events. Hard questions. No spin. The parliament that voted to abolish itself and why Canberra runs the way it does. The gap in Australia's gun laws that thirty years on, nobody has fixed. & Why Nigel Farage is a symptom of a class system the UK can't escape. This episode was powered by Tanck and Baker & York https://tanck.com.au/ https://www.bakerandyork.com/ https://www.thepubtestpodcast.com/ Produced by Keehlan Ferrari-Brown

    50 min
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5
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

Australian politics, minus the spin. Neil Pharaoh and Erin Watson put the week's biggest political stories through the pub test - does it make sense, is it fair, and what does it really mean? New episodes weekly.

Information

  • Creator
    The Pub Test
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Pub Test
  • Show Website
    The Pub Test

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