The Pub Test
Welcome to The Pub Test, your new favourite political podcast. Each week, we put the biggest political stories through the pub test. Does it make sense? Is it fair? Or is it just spin dressed up as news? This is a space where we cut through the noise and focus on what actually matters.
Brought to you by Tanck and Baker & York, The Pub Test is hosted by Neil Pharaoh and Dr Erin Watson, two voices from opposite sides of politics, calling it as they see it.
We believe that politics should be understandable, open to challenge, and grounded in common sense. Each episode explores a regional, national, and international political issue, looking beyond the headlines to assess the real-world impacts and trade-offs. Ultimately, the question is simple: does it pass the pub test?
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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.
Check out our latest episode
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.
May 2026
Antony Green on The Farrer Election & Australia’s New Political Divide
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.
Australia’s Childcare Trap, Government Dysfunction & Why Nepal Matters
Australia’s childcare system is becoming harder to access, governments keep blaming each other for problems they were supposed to solve, and Nepal is quietly emerging as one of the most fascinating political stories in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Nepean Election and Japan's Hidden Influence! What's Going On?
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.
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.
April 2026
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 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.
GP Costs, 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.
The Lie of Fuel Security, Political Theatre & 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.
Victoria’s Free Fares, Tax Reform & Why Sri Lanka Suddenly Matters
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
March 2026
One Nation Rising, Petrol Prices Spike & Is Australia Facing a More Dangerous World?
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.
Australia's Gun Laws, The City That Rejected Democracy & Why Britain Has No Way Out
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.
Trump's War in the Middle East and Albanese's Bad Week
Albo’s rough week. One Nation rising, the Grace Tame backlash and a scare at the Lodge. The brides debate, national security, child protection and the hard choice no one wants to own. What the hell is happening in the Middle East and what it means for Australia.
Victoria's Debt Problem, The Political Pension Debate and What Makes Greenland so Valuable?
Victoria’s growing debt and how it could shape the upcoming state election. The political pension debate and whether the system still makes sense in modern politics. & Greenland’s growing strategic value and why it has become a geopolitical prize.
Prince Andrew Arrested, State Election Bloodbath & The Rise of India
Prince Andrew’s arrest and what it means for the monarchy. Is the Liberal Party collapsing in South Australia? & What Australia still doesn’t understand about India.
February 2026
Liberal Spill, Four-Year Terms & A Female Dictator in North Korea?
What Sussan Ley’s departure and the Liberal spill mean for Farrer and the future of the Coalition. Why a four-year federal term might be more achievable and less controversial than you think. & Could North Korea be preparing the world’s first female dictator and what would that really change?
The $300k Housing Trap, WA's Mining Identity & Israel’s New African Ally
Australian Housing Policy: Who broke the Australian Dream? What Western Australia’s mining identity says about the rest of the country. Israel’s recognition of Somaliland and what it means for the Horn of Africa.
One Nation’s Surge, Mark Carney’s Warning & How Social Media Shapes Politics
What One Nation’s surge says about the state of Australian politics. Mark Carney’s Davos speech: How can middle powers navigate the global rupture? How social media is shaping Victorian Politics.
The Rise of Pauline Hanson, the Australia Day Debate & Ukraine at War
How the Liberals are helping Pauline Hanson rise. Australia Day and whether there’s a way through the endless debate. Ukraine at war and how global leadership is measuring up.
January 2026
Victoria Fires & Floods, Parliament Recall, Iran Explained (ft. Kylie Moore-Gilbert)
Victoria’s fires and floods — and the politics of response. Canberra recalls Parliament for gun reforms and hate laws after Bondi. Iran, the blackout and what’s really happening — with Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert.
Bondi Royal Commission, NSW Election & The Venezuela Situation
Bondi and a Royal Commission. NSW politics on the long road to 2027. Venezuela after the US operation that captured Nicolás Maduro — and why Australia should care. Note: This episode was recorded before the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion was announced. We include an update after our initial recording.
Dr. Erin Watson
Founder and CEO - Baker & York
Dr Erin Watson is a global public policy expert working across research and analytics, policy and regulation, market strategy, economic development, and government relations, delivering projects serving over 45 countries in close collaboration with governments, multilateral organisations, and companies.
Neil Pharaoh
Co-founder and Director - Tanck
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.