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.
Hosts: Dr. Erin Watson and Neil Pharaoh
Producer: Keehlan Ferrari Brown
Latest Episodes
Season 2
Season 2: Episode 9: Student Debt, Work From Home & Argentina’s Economic Gamble
Australia’s university debt system, Victoria’s work-from-home debate and Argentina’s economic experiment all raise the same question: when does government intervention stop helping and start distorting the system?
HECS, TAFE, gendered work, flexible workplaces and the lessons Australia can draw from one of the world’s most politically fascinating economies.
Season 2: Episode 8: One Nation Beats Labor, Parliament’s Passport Problem, & the Rise of the New Serfdom
The latest Redbridge opinion poll has dropped an absolute bombshell: One Nation has surged to become the country's most popular primary vote political party, outpolling both Labor and the Coalition. As a massive political disruption looms over upcoming state and federal elections, the center-left and center-right are being completely hollowed out.
Season 2: Episode 7: Australia's Water Crisis & Why America still Fears Cuba
Australia’s water crisis is becoming one of the biggest political and economic issues of the decade. Neil Pharaoh and Erin Watson break down why water may become more valuable than oil, how regulation is slowing Australia down and what Cuba reveals about modern geopolitics.
Season 2: Episode 6: Antony Green on The Farrer Election & Australia’s New Political Divide
This episode was recorded before the 2026 Federal Budget.
This week on The Pub Test, we sit down with legendary election analyst Antony Green to unpack what the recent Farrer by-election reveals about the future of Australian politics. From political fragmentation and regional decline to compulsory voting, generational frustration and the changing political mainstream.
Season 2: Episode 5: Australia’s Childcare Trap, Government Dysfunction & Why Nepal Matters
Australia’s childcare system is under pressure, federal and state governments are increasingly trapped in blame-shifting, and Nepal is attempting major reform without the institutions to fully support it.
Season 2: Episode 4: 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.
Season 2: Episode 3: 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.
Season 2: Episode 2: Sydney, Housing, Harbour or Bust? Global Shipping Risks 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 whether 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.
Season 2: Episode 1: GP Costs, Government Failure & What New Zealand Gets Right
Australia’s healthcare squeeze is no longer abstract.
Why seeing a GP has become harder and more expensive
Why public systems feel less capable of delivering basic services
What New Zealand’s political system reveals about voting, coalition rule, and democratic stability.
Season 1
Episode 1: Bondi Royal Comission, NSW Election & The Venezuela Situation
Episode 2: Victoria Fires & Floods, Parliament Recall, Iran Explained (ft. Kylie Moore-Gilbert)
Episode 3: The Rise of Pauline Hanson, the Australia Day Debate & Ukraine at War.
Episode 4: One Nation’s Surge, Mark Carney’s Warning & How Social Media Shapes Politics.
Episode 5: The 300k Housing Trap, WA’s Mining Identity & Israel’s New African Ally.
Episode 6: Liberal Spill, Four-Year Terms & A Female Dictator in North Korea?
Episode 7: Prince Andrew Arrested, State Election Bloodbath & The Rise of India
Episode 8: The ISIS Bride Problem, Trump's War in the Middle East and Albanese's Bad Week
Episode 9: Victoria's Debt Problem, The Political Pension Debate and What Makes Greenland so Valuable?
Episode 10: Australia's Gun Laws, The City That Rejected Democracy & Why Britain Has No Way Out
Episode 11: One Nation Rising, Petrol Prices Spike & Is Australia Facing a More Dangerous World?
Episode 12: Victoria’s Free Fares, Tax Reform & Why Sri Lanka Suddenly Matters
Episode 13: The Lie of Fuel Security, Political Theatre & Can NATO Fail.
With over 20 years’ experience across government, business, and the social sector, Neil specialises in turning complexity into clarity - whether through high-impact governance, public policy strategy, or stakeholder influence.
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Dr Erin Watson is a sought-after speaker, moderator and MC, renowned for her ability to distill complex global issues into sharp, compelling conversations that resonate across sectors and borders.
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