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Why did One Nation reject Anthony Albanese’s offer of an extra staffer for One Nation MP David Farley? The Prime Minister has the power to determine MPs’ additional staffing. How much room does that leave for political influence? Victorians head to the polls this month to choose their next premier. So why haven’t Ben Carroll and Jess Wilson agreed to a debate and what’s behind the dispute over who should be included? To close, guest host Misha Zelinsky, a former Australian Financial Review correspondent in Ukraine, joins Erin to discuss the current state of the Russia–Ukraine war. 00:00 Introduction and guest host Misha Zelinsky 09:33 Fast Five 32:26 Pauline Hanson and Albanese’s staff offer 42:25 The state of the Russia–Ukraine war 48:24 How could the war end? -- 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/ -- Misha https://www.instagram.com/mishazelinsky/ - Links Albanese’s staff offer to One Nation: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-29/one-nation-mp-turns-down-extra-staffer-from-pm/107325240 The Victorian leaders’ debate: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-01/victorian-election-labor-liberal-tough-battle/107331376Misha Zelinsky’s The Sun Will Rise: https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/The-Sun-Will-Rise/Misha-Zelinsky/9781637632956

Political violence, riots and targeted political attacks are pushing tensions to a boiling point. After the alleged attack on independent MP Helen Haines, Australia is confronting a difficult question: how do we keep MPs safe when more than 1,000 threat reports involving politicians and staff were recorded last financial year, yet not every MP has access to security? With consequential elections approaching around the world, what does this moment mean for democracy? -- 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/ -- Links and references Monique Ryan on cleaning up Question Time — ABC Newshttps://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-21/helen-haines-attack-live-updates-brendan-nugent-court-hearing/107290276 Monique Ryan on political conduct and the response to Helen Haines’s attack — The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/26/haines-tribute-speeches-to-open-parliament-but-labor-mustnt-overlook-broader-causes-of-boiling-anger-ntwnfb Threat reports and politicians’ security — The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/20/helen-haines-alleged-attack-response-tightened-security-ntwnfb Alice Weidel on the AfD’s family policy — The Economisthttps://www.facebook.com/TheEconomist/videos/alice-weidel-on-the-afds-stance-on-non-traditional-families/1149528687733247/ Full Alice Weidel interview — The Economisthttps://shows.acast.com/theintelligencepodcast/episodes/an-interview-with-alice-weidel V-Dem Democracy Report 2026https://www.v-dem.net/documents/75/V-Dem_Institute_Democracy_Report_2026_lowres.pdf Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williamshttps://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9781035065967/ Follow The Pub Test on Spotify, leave a rating and share the episode.

Tarang Chawla joins The Pub Test to discuss what Australian boys are learning about masculinity and how online influencers, algorithms and communities shape that picture. Watch and read: https://www.abc.net.au/about/media-centre/publicity-media-room/marc-fennell-confronts-the-manosphere-in-the-state-of-man/107150086 https://www.stan.com.au/watch/revealed-poster-boy-becoming-zyzz-2026 https://www.dvnsw.org.au/reports/ending-violence-in-regional-and-remote-nsw/ https://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/new-evaw-x-refuge-report-reveals-shocking-scale-of-online-misogyny-and-abuse/ Tarang Chawla: Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tarangchawla/⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarangchawla/⁠ -- 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/ ---- If this episode raises concerns, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. Both are available 24/7. In an emergency call 000. 13 11 14 Lifeline: https://www.lifeline.org.au/131114 Beyond Blue: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/talk-to-a-counsellor

An OpenAI agent gained unauthorised access to an Australian government website. How did it happen and what does it tell us about the risks of AI advancing faster than we can regulate it? We also look at One Nation's controversial AI generated election ad, the unintended consequences of Australia's credit card surcharge ban and what's caused protests in India and unrest in France. What do these movements reveal about the future of democracy? -- 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/

Stamp duty can add $40,000 to the cost of a $750,000 home in Victoria. If it makes buying harder and discourages people from moving, why is it so difficult for state governments to scrap? Then, Australia’s high-speed rail debate. Is the proposed $61 billion Sydney to Newcastle connection the right place to start and what will it take to finally get it built? Finally, more than 30 years after apartheid ended, why does South Africa remain so unequal? We look at how its history still shapes where people live, their opportunities and the country’s politics. 0:00 Setting the Stage for the Pub Test1:07 The Digital Rabbit Holes We Fall Into4:53 The True Cost of Stamp Duty8:01 The Curious History of Property Titles17:45 The Great High-Speed Rail Debate25:29 A Deep Dive Into South Africa33:40 The Stark Reality of Inequality -- 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/

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. 0:00 Setting the Scene for the Pub Test0:49 Life in Mallorca: Beyond the Headlines4:46 Speed Dating Through Politics7:12 Trump vs The Algorithm10:02 The Victorian Political Landscape13:40 The Child Protection Crisis20:05 Regional Holidays and Racing Fever26:28 Inside the Kazakhstan Football Federation 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/

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/

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/

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/

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/

We’re back from the winter break with plenty to catch up on. Ben Carroll is Victoria’s new Premier, One Nation is becoming a serious threat to the Coalition and Australia’s political landscape is shifting fast. Then Saffron Zomer, Executive Director of the Australian Democracy Network, joins us to discuss their new report, The Invisible Hand, which examines lobbying, political influence and transparency in Australia. How much influence happens outside public view and what needs to change to make the system more transparent? Instagram: @australiandemocracynetwork LinkedIn: @australian-democracy-network Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572934507699 #LobbyingActNow -- 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/

On the eve of July 4th, American royalty gets married, but what are the political and pop culture consequences? Why did Pauline Hanson’s comments on paid parental leave hit such a nerve with Australian parents? Has childcare choice become the next major political fight? And is Australia’s early education system built for modern families, or for a world that no longer exists? Dolly Parton’s Dollywood Foundation https://imaginationlibrary.com/the-dollywood-foundation/ Jen Fleming is the CEO and co-founder of Childcare Choice, a parent-led advocacy movement pushing for more flexible childcare funding and greater choice for Australian families. https://childcarechoice.com.au/ Georgie Dent is the CEO of The Parenthood, a lawyer, author and leading advocate for paid parental leave, early education and better policy support for children and families. https://www.theparenthood.org.au/ 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

This week on The Pub Test, Karl Stefanovic’s controversial podcast moment, the teals’ move to unite under a new political banner, and why Albania has become the centre of a major tourism and development protest. From One Nation’s media strategy to the future of independent politics and the fight over Albania’s coastline, it’s a sharp look at how politics is playing out locally, nationally and globally. This episode was powered by Tanck and Baker & York https://tanck.com.au/ https://www.bakerandyork.com/ https://www.thepubtestpodcast.com/ 00:02:33 — Teals unite under Community Strong Australia 00:09:57 — Karl Stefanovic, One Nation & UK political influence 00:29:38 — Albania’s tourism protest with Dr Ornela Çuçi

Why do Australian parties keep removing their own leaders? Who really has influence inside Parliament? And why does Georgia matter in the struggle between Europe and Russia? 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 00:01:12 — Leadership spills in Australia 00:17:14 — Lobbying, influence and what Neil/Erin do 00:32:01 — Georgia, Russia and democratic pressure

The Budget Is Over. The Fight Isn’t. Four weeks after the 2026 Federal Budget, Australia is still arguing about it. The Budget was handed down four weeks ago. So why are we still fighting about it? This week on The Pub Test, Neil Pharaoh and Dr Erin Watson hear two very different takes on the 2026 Federal Budget. Joseph Mitchell from the ACTU says it starts shifting the burden from workers to wealth. Innes Willox from Australian Industry Group says it risks creating uncertainty for business, investment and small employers. Workers versus wealth. Growth versus fairness. Certainty versus reform. The Budget may be over — but the argument clearly isn’t. Find out more Australian Unions / ACTU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AustralianUnions/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ausunions/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aus.unions YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AustralianUnions LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/australian-unions/ #AustralianUnions Australian Industry Group Website: https://www.australianindustrygroup.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AustralianIndustryGroup/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/australianindustrygroup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/australian-industry-group/ #AustralianIndustryGroup #AllForBusiness #ThePubTest #AusPol 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