The Pub Test

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.

The Pub Test is a news podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 30 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts The Pub Test, a news show with 30 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  The Pub Test

  Albo's Trump Selfie, Labor Running Third in Victoria & Kazakhstan’s Growing Power

  Sep 28, 202653 min

  Kazakhstan is the world's largest uranium producer and is becoming increasingly important to global energy, trade and critical minerals. So why should Australia be paying more attention? First, we catch Neil up on the week in Australian politics. Labor is polling third in Victoria, raising questions about whether Ben Carroll can turn the party's position around before the election. We also look at Albo's Trump selfie, school funding and our predictions for the 2026 AFL Grand Final. Then Scott Munn, General Secretary of the Kazakhstan Football Federation, joins us to talk about life in Kazakhstan, the country's growing international profile and how football fits into its national ambitions. Scott Munn https://www.instagram.com/scottamunn/ Kazakhstan Football Federation https://kff.kz/ This episode was supported by Thrive by Five https://www.thrivebyfive.org.au/ https://www.minderoo.org This episode was powered by Tanck and Baker & York https://tanck.com.au/ https://www.bakerandyork.com/ Follow the show https://www.instagram.com/thepubtest_podcast/ https://www.thepubtestpodcast.com/

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  Episode #5

  Who Wins Victoria, the Broken GST Deal & Why We Forgot Myanmar

  Sep 21, 202646 minS3

  Victoria goes to the polls in November with its third premier since 2022 — and voters picked neither of the last two. Will Labor pay for that? And will the rewritten upper-house rules actually change who wins a seat? Then, why does Western Australia receive special protection in the distribution of GST revenue and is the current arrangement fair to the rest of the country? Finally, why have Myanmar’s civil war and the Rohingya refugee crisis largely disappeared from Australian attention? ---- -- This episode was supported by Thrive by Five https://www.thrivebyfive.org.au/ https://www.minderoo.org/ This episode was powered by Tanck and Baker & York https://tanck.com.au/ https://www.bakerandyork.com/ Follow the show https://www.instagram.com/thepubtest_podcast/ https://www.thepubtestpodcast.com/

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  The Pub Test

  Are We Over Diagnosing Kids, The Parenting Crisis & Moldova’s Fight for Democracy

  Sep 14, 202650 min

  Are we too focused on fixing children instead of the systems around them? Dr Caroline Croser-Barlow, CEO of The Front Project, joins us to talk about early childhood, rising diagnosis, the pressure on parents and teachers and why supporting the adults around children may be just as important as diagnosing the child. Dr Caroline Croser-Barlow is a former senior public servant with extensive experience across early childhood education, disability in education and social policy, including senior roles in South Australia’s Department for Education Then we head to Moldova, a small democracy caught between Europe and Russia. What can its experience with disinformation, vote buying and foreign interference teach Australia about protecting democracy? The Front Project https://www.thefrontproject.org.au/ -- This episode was supported by Thrive by Five https://www.thrivebyfive.org.au/ https://www.minderoo.org This Pub Test is powered by Tanck and Baker & York https://tanck.com.au/ https://www.bakerandyork.com/ Follow the show https://www.instagram.com/thepubtest_podcast/ https://www.thepubtestpodcast.com/

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  Episode #3

  Australia's Parenting Problem & Why Ireland Looks So Rich

  Sep 7, 202659 minS3

  What does parenting in Australia really look like and are parents getting enough support? Rob Ryan, CEO of the Parenting Research Centre, joins us to unpack new national parenting research. Does the way we raise our kids pass the pub test? Then over to Ireland, a small country with big wealth on paper. But how much of that comes from its low corporate tax rates and how are everyday Irish people being affected by housing, migration and the country’s complicated history? How rich is Ireland really? Rob Ryan is CEO of the Parenting Research Centre and has more than 30 years of experience across child protection, community services and family support, including 19 years in senior roles with Queensland's Department of Child Safety. Parenting Research Centre parentingrc.org.au - Other resources mentioned Raising Children Network https://raisingchildren.net.au/ Parenting Today https://www.parentingrc.org.au/tools/parenting-today/ This episode was supported by the Minderoo Foundation https://www.minderoo.org https://www.thrivebyfive.org.au/ This episode was powered by Tanck and Baker & York https://tanck.com.au/ https://www.bakerandyork.com/ Follow the show https://www.instagram.com/thepubtest_podcast/ https://www.thepubtestpodcast.com/

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  The Pub Test

  Pakistan’s Growing Power, Australia’s Child Protection Crisis & Alice Springs

  Aug 31, 202641 min

  Pakistan is back in the news, with Imran Khan, its relationship with India and its growing role in talks between the US and Iran. So why does Pakistan matter and why should Australia be paying more attention? Then Catherine Liddle, CEO of SNAICC, joins us to talk about what’s happening in Alice Springs, Australia’s child protection system and why tough-on-crime politics can miss the bigger picture. SNAICC – National Voice for our Children https://www.snaicc.org.au/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/snaicc_/?hl=en Facebook https://www.facebook.com/snaicc/ -- This episode was supported by the Minderoo Foundation https://www.minderoo.org https://www.thrivebyfive.org.au/ This episode was powered by Tanck and Baker & York https://tanck.com.au/ https://www.bakerandyork.com/ Follow the show https://www.instagram.com/thepubtest_podcast/ https://www.thepubtestpodcast.com/

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