In this episode of Uncommon Ground, Talal Yassine sits down with Andrew Robb, former Trade and Investment Minister and one of the most influential political strategists of his generation for a rare and deeply personal conversation.

Andrew reflects on his journey from a childhood on dairy farms as one of nine children, to helping deregulate Australia’s economy and negotiating major trade deals across Asia. He also speaks candidly about living with a daily bipolar condition he hid for decades, explaining how adrenaline, crisis and high-pressure roles became his coping mechanism.

From the “unlosable” 1993 election and the Hawke–Keating economic reforms, to multiculturalism, controversy over his post-politics China work, and the emerging promise of psychedelics for mental health, Andrew offers an unfiltered look at leadership as it’s lived, not performed.

Subscribe to Uncommon Ground on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@talal.yassine

Links

Learn More About Talal talalyassine.com.au

LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/talaly

Facebook facebook.com/talal.yassine.1

Instagram instagram.com/talalyassine

Episode Running Order
Intro — who is Andrew Robb & why this story matters (00:00)
Childhood on sheep & dairy farms, first memories (01:07)
One of nine kids: big family, responsibility & a happy farm life (02:39)
Parents’ sacrifice & the family’s deep commitment to education (06:03)
Moving to Melbourne, migrant suburb life & “shh, your father’s asleep” (09:01)
Faith, family tree & a 97-year-old mother with 90+ descendants (11:04)
The first signs of mental illness: violent teachers, fear & Year 7–8 trauma (13:42)
Daily bipolar: waking depressed, “not a morning person” and acting through it (16:24)
Discovering adrenaline as a coping mechanism & thriving in crises (18:36)
The fork in the road: turning down Harvard for the National Farmers Federation (20:00)
Deregulating Australia: floating the dollar, free trade & dismantling old systems (22:50)
From NFF to federal director: class, power and “knowing your place” (26:50)
The Hewson years: Fightback!, the “800-page political suicide note” & the unlosable election (36:31)
Hawke, Keating, Howard & Costello — how tension at the top can still serve the country (43:05)
Life after the machine: Packer years, big data & building a marketing powerhouse (44:33)
Inside the 1996 campaign: targeting 33 marginals, data, ads & swing voters (47:03)
Immigration & multicultural affairs: detention centres and what loyalty really looks like (50:36)
Loving two countries: Italians, Indians at the MCG & Chinese-Australian identity (53:09)
English tests, women’s independence & stopping grandmothers being locked out of family life (57:26)
Returning to mental health: mornings of sadness, walking hard and five pills a day (01:00:15)
Why psychedelics might change everything for PTSD & depression (01:06:44)
The China controversy: Darwin Port myths, post-politics work & being labelled “treasonous” (01:10:17)
Horses, polocrosse & a final reflection on guilt, family and legacy (01:15:57)
Closing thoughts & Uncommon Ground sign-off (01:17:05)

In this episode of Uncommon Ground, Talal Yassine sits down with Andrew Robb, former Trade and Investment Minister and one of the most influential political strategists of his generation for a rare and deeply personal conversation.
Andrew reflects on his journey from a childhood on dairy farms as one of nine children, to helping deregulate Australia&rsquo;s economy and negotiating major trade deals across Asia. He also speaks candidly about living with a daily bipolar condition he hid for decades, explaining how adrenaline, crisis and high-pressure roles became his coping mechanism.
From the &ldquo;unlosable&rdquo; 1993 election and the Hawke&ndash;Keating economic reforms, to multiculturalism, controversy over his post-politics China work, and the emerging promise of psychedelics for mental health, Andrew offers an unfiltered look at leadership as it&rsquo;s lived, not performed.
Subscribe to Uncommon Ground on YouTube -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@talal.yassine">https://www.youtube.com/@talal.yassine</a>
Links
Learn More About Talal <a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=channel_description&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbjBHUnlBS2hCZkg5aGMwei0yRDZYYnJfMGsyUXxBQ3Jtc0tsLXNvaUFzU2NZWWdfdnFMZDFXdERKRVNBVnhqckZtUTc3eXRmbTZLOGVOMUItXzNaTlhlRlZjZDI3T2NuMFJFUjUyVUdLTHN6STRZX2Qzc0dMbnZhT0RrUXlCYlBucG5lazF0LVQ1Sk5GR05fUUF3SQ&amp;q=www.talalyassine.com.au">talalyassine.com.au</a>
LinkedIn <a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=channel_description&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqa2hZNTg0aFlta1NjakhncVdORXlCczUwaVAyd3xBQ3Jtc0tsdENCUFZyWUowcHlwUnhHR0pXM3IxMENyUndjczBBOHJoVnp0UTZkNzNpLWl4XzRKQlo4dldadlRlSDVUX2l4a0pXMFBwZE5vMkZJdkI2OTBNMG5yQlNxc2ZQbmRGVmdnVjk5YUtqNnc4QTZ5ajRHRQ&amp;q=www.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Ftalaly">linkedin.com/in/talaly</a>
Facebook <a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=channel_description&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbDYwWFZLVHA0N2pxRHRXSmprdjZpX0dxSnMwZ3xBQ3Jtc0trZ3oxQ2Rhem01QkNIYTNCWHp1NEVnVUJfQUI2d3RydG9xaWJoWVBIa0Qya2pVNjV0TW9TY0wzaUxlTnBZWVJvbXRQc2Z5WWY3aHJJN0h6VEVrTVprcnRSSWJxSnFXU0JQTy1sSEVsTHNYZURDMDJKZw&amp;q=www.facebook.com%2Ftalal.yassine.1">facebook.com/talal.yassine.1</a>
Instagram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=channel_description&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbHA2TU1SLWd4X1hYYXVrVXlGWHFoSDBuU1FOd3xBQ3Jtc0tsbFVraERiTnRZMTdBR3EtblN4U1NfUjJOWTliN29YcE9wU243LVNrTE83U1VUQnBVc0NsQ3RRTk1Wc1JwdmdRUHZlT2lheUhIazRpX3daMEtUcmg3NHRWUC1LVFRpSUFpVV9KRVAxX1lvSFM5WDJTNA&amp;q=www.instagram.com%2Ftalalyassine">instagram.com/talalyassine</a>
Episode Running Order
<ul>
<li>Intro &mdash; who is Andrew Robb &amp; why this story matters (00:00)</li>
<li>Childhood on sheep &amp; dairy farms, first memories (01:07)</li>
<li>One of nine kids: big family, responsibility &amp; a happy farm life (02:39)</li>
<li>Parents&rsquo; sacrifice &amp; the family&rsquo;s deep commitment to education (06:03)</li>
<li>Moving to Melbourne, migrant suburb life &amp; &ldquo;shh, your father&rsquo;s asleep&rdquo; (09:01)</li>
<li>Faith, family tree &amp; a 97-year-old mother with 90+ descendants (11:04)</li>
<li>The first signs of mental illness: violent teachers, fear &amp; Year 7&ndash;8 trauma (13:42)</li>
<li>Daily bipolar: waking depressed, &ldquo;not a morning person&rdquo; and acting through it (16:24)</li>
<li>Discovering adrenaline as a coping mechanism &amp; thriving in crises (18:36)</li>
<li>The fork in the road: turning down Harvard for the National Farmers Federation (20:00)</li>
<li>Deregulating Australia: floating the dollar, free trade &amp; dismantling old systems (22:50)</li>
<li>From NFF to federal director: class, power and &ldquo;knowing your place&rdquo; (26:50)</li>
<li>The Hewson years: Fightback!, the &ldquo;800-page political suicide note&rdquo; &amp; the unlosable election (36:31)</li>
<li>Hawke, Keating, Howard &amp; Costello &mdash; how tension at the top can still serve the country (43:05)</li>
<li>Life after the machine: Packer years, big data &amp; building a marketing powerhouse (44:33)</li>
<li>Inside the 1996 campaign: targeting 33 marginals, data, ads &amp; swing voters (47:03)</li>
<li>Immigration &amp; multicultural affairs: detention centres and what loyalty really looks like (50:36)</li>
<li>Loving two countries: Italians, Indians at the MCG &amp; Chinese-Australian identity (53:09)</li>
<li>English tests, women&rsquo;s independence &amp; stopping grandmothers being locked out of family life (57:26)</li>
<li>Returning to mental health: mornings of sadness, walking hard and five pills a day (01:00:15)</li>
<li>Why psychedelics might change everything for PTSD &amp; depression (01:06:44)</li>
<li>The China controversy: Darwin Port myths, post-politics work &amp; being labelled &ldquo;treasonous&rdquo; (01:10:17)</li>
<li>Horses, polocrosse &amp; a final reflection on guilt, family and legacy (01:15:57)</li>
<li>Closing thoughts &amp; Uncommon Ground sign-off (01:17:05)</li>
</ul>

Real leaders. Real conversations. Real opinions.

What drives someone to speak up, stand out, and keep going when the pressure hits hard? Uncommon Ground is a monthly podcast hosted by entrepreneur and philanthropist Talal Yassine, where he sits down with high-profile Australians who aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo.

In each episode, Talal goes beyond the headlines to explore the values, convictions, and personal struggles that shape public figures. It’s not just about what they’ve done, it’s about who they are when things get difficult.

Honest, raw, and deeply human, this is Uncommon Ground. Subscribe now and be part of the conversation.

Real leaders. Real conversations. Real opinions.
What drives someone to speak up, stand out, and keep going when the pressure hits hard? Uncommon Ground is a monthly podcast hosted by entrepreneur and philanthropist Talal Yassine, where he sits down with high-profile Australians who aren&rsquo;t afraid to challenge the status quo.
In each episode, Talal goes beyond the headlines to explore the values, convictions, and personal struggles that shape public figures. It&rsquo;s not just about what they&rsquo;ve done, it&rsquo;s about who they are when things get difficult.
Honest, raw, and deeply human, this is Uncommon Ground. Subscribe now and be part of the conversation.

Real leaders. Real conversations. Real opinions.

Uncommon Ground with Talal Yassine

Real leaders. Real conversations. Real opinions.

What drives someone to speak up, stand out, and keep going when the pressure hits hard? Uncommon Ground is a fortnightly podcast hosted by entrepreneur and philanthropist Talal Yassine, where he sits down with high-profile Australians who aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo.

In each episode, Talal goes beyond the headlines to explore the values, convictions, and personal struggles that shape public figures. It’s not just about what they’ve done, it’s about who they are when things get difficult.

Honest, raw, and deeply human, this is Uncommon Ground. Subscribe now and be part of the conversation.

Real leaders. Real conversations. Real opinions.
What drives someone to speak up, stand out, and keep going when the pressure hits hard? Uncommon Ground is a fortnightly podcast hosted by entrepreneur and philanthropist Talal Yassine, where he sits down with high-profile Australians who aren&rsquo;t afraid to challenge the status quo.
In each episode, Talal goes beyond the headlines to explore the values, convictions, and personal struggles that shape public figures. It&rsquo;s not just about what they&rsquo;ve done, it&rsquo;s about who they are when things get difficult.
Honest, raw, and deeply human, this is Uncommon Ground. Subscribe now and be part of the conversation.