"The Week on Wednesday" with Van Badham & Ben Davison

Episode 108: Anti-government protests sweep Iran, Thorburn saga is about more than money and the good news is no new extinctions in Australia

Van Badham and Ben Davison open by looking at the sweeping reforms of paid family and domestic violence leave and enshrining an employers responsibility to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace that the union movement in Australia has won and how women leaders make societies, and social movements, better (you can join at australianunions.org.au/wow). 

Our hosts contrast this democratic advancement with the repressive regime in Iran and the violence that oppression of women in Iran has created.

The killing of Mahsa Amini and the weeks of violent clashes, government suppression, mass arrests and murders has some suggesting that the Iranian people have had enough of the theocratic regime.  Van and Ben explore what's been happening, why it is happening and what might be next.

In Australia, disgraced former NAB CEO Andrew Thorburn has resigned as CEO of Essendon football club after 30 hours in the job.  Van and Ben unpack how this multi-millionaire with powerful political connections, who was slammed by the banking royal commission, was engaged to review the club, managed to become CEO and when told he had to choose between his role as chairman of the "City on a hill church" or his paid employment at Essendon football club he chose to quit his job.

Warning: The rich, white, male, privileged whining that Thorburn has since embarked on gets thoroughly dismantled and his time as NAB CEO critically examined. 

The good news is that Tanya Plibersek has announced the Albanese government's plan to prevent species extinction in Australia!

Also The Week on Wednesday LIVE! at Melbourne Fringe is happening on the 12th of October at Victorian Trades Hall and you can get tickets at www.melbournefringe.com.au/event/the-week-on-wednesday-live

Plus we give a shout out to all of our Cadre and Extend the Reach supporters.

Weekend Wrap 2 October 2022: NACC will either be reform or knackered, Truss shows tax cut follies, COVID isolation to end but whats next?

Ben Davison gives his view on Mark Dreyfus big week appointing the first female majority High Court in Australian history, introducing the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to parliament and appearing on Insiders to explain why he thinks they've got the balance right on public hearings.

Ben discusses the ups and downs of public hearings and how the union movement first passed a policy on a national anti-corruption Commission in 2015!  You can join your union at australianunions.org.au/wow

The RBA is likely to raise rates this week and Ben looks at how the unfunded tax rebates to the wealthy in the UK have caused an economic meltdown and what signal that sends Australia on the stage three tax cuts due in three budgets time.

The big news about COVID was national cabinet's decision to remove the five day isolation orders from mid-October.  Ben looks at the Insiders analysis of the decision as well as the BIG spike in UK hospital admissions and wonders what might happen next.

Don't forget to get your tickets for the Week On Wednesday LIVE! at Melbourne Fringe on October 12th here: www.melbournefringe.com.au/event/the-week-on-wednesday-live 

Episode 107: Sally McManus calls for end to war on workers, Labor federal ICAC is NACC and Queensland to end reliance on coal by 2035

Van Badham and Ben Davison are relieved by the huge agenda of the Labor commonwealth government and do a deep dive on the National Press Club speech by ACTU Secretary Sally McManus.  Sally's speech explores how we came to the economic situation we are in, what we can do about it and why unions are naturally inclined to work with others to solve our shared problems.  Van and Ben discuss the historical context, the values that drive economic justice or inequality and just what might happen next for Australia.  You can join your union at australianunions.org.au/wow

In Queensland the union movement has worked with the state Labor government to develop a ten year energy plan that includes a charter of worker's rights, moving to renewables and guarantees both jobs and lower carbon emissions!  Van and Ben discuss how environmental outcomes and social outcomes align.

The Albanese government has introduced a federal ICAC, known as the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), with Peter Dutton having to accept that it will become law.  Van and Ben discuss why the NACC is important to democracy and what happens when we don't maintain our democratic institutions.

Plus we shamelessly plug our Melbourne Fringe festival gig on October 12th, get your tickets here www.melbournefringe.com.au/event/the-week-on-wednesday-live  and praise our Cadre and Extend the Reach supporters who have become contributors at www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday 

Weekend Wrap 25 September 2022: Coalition doesn’t have policies its in opposition, Labor abolishing cashless debit card, creating a federal ICAC and leading in Vic and NSW

"We don't have policies, we are in Opposition, not in Government" Jane Hume Coalition Finance spokesperson on Insiders.  That simple statement, which the plethora of anti-union policies on the Liberal website suggests in not true, sums up a lack of care, interest or genuine commitment to improving Australia from the Dutton led Coalition.

Ben explores the Insider's interview, the Coalition policies that do exist, how the federal anti-worker approach has seeped into the NSW and Victorian Liberals and how it is putting them on the road to electoral oblivion.

Ben dives into the abolition of the cashless debit card, which mostly impacts communities in Western Australia, Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory and explores Labor's new programs for those impacted.

There will be a federal ICAC introduced to parliament this week and Ben discusses how that process is playing out, why Albo has an obligation to consult with the opposition and why instead of independants attacking Labor for doing so they should adopt Katherine Murphy's view of aiming for an ICAC "Everyone in parliament can support".

Plus a shoutout to the Maritime Union of Australia's 150th anniversary celebration in Melbourne, workers taking action and a reminder to join your union at australianunions.org.au/wow and to come along to The Week on Wednesday LIVE! at Melbourne Fringe on October 12th tickets here: melbournefringe.com.au/event/the-week-on-wednesday-live

Episode 106: Morrison a cabinet of one, Labor’s new budget and new approach, gig reforms ready for delivery and good news in WA AND Queensland

Van Badham and Ben Davison examine the revelations that Scott Morrison held 739 cabinet committee meetings where he was the only member of the committee to avoid public scrutiny over his lack of genuine policies.

Our hosts also offer solidarity to the workers who have been locked out, are taking action or have had to go on strike and encourage listeners to join their union at australianunions.org.au/wow and check out the funds to support locked out workers at https://knauf-lockout-fund.raisely.com/ and the NSW workers under attack from the Perrottet government at https://workers-fund.raisely.com/legaldefence

By contrast to Morrison's secret shadow government and Perrottet's anti-worker policies the Albanese Labor government is engaging across Australia on policy, budgets and reform.  Van and Ben discuss what this means and why it is important for democracy.

The gig economy was let rip under Morrison and now Labor is tasked with how to regulate 21st century technology that has allowed 17th century working conditions to spread "like a cancer" through everything from transport and delivery to aged care and the NDIS.  Van and Ben look at what's being done to protect workers rights and deliver sustainable services.

And of course Qantas and its many failings gets a mention as consumer advocates put forward ideas to end the cowboy behaviour of Alan Joyce.

Plus there is good news about carbon capturing kelp in WA and green hydrogen in Queensland!

Van also reads out the names of our Cadre and Extend the Reach supporters who have gone to www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday to help us reach even more listeners.

Weekend Wrap 18th September 2022: RBA admits lack of worker power undermining wages and bosses profiteering

Ben Davison makes the Weekend Wrap a "royal funeral free" zone and focuses on Insider's short coverage on the Reserve Bank's appearance at the parliamentary committee and the state of Australia's economy.

The RBA admits that a lack of worker power has made wage cuts and profiteering possible while CEO's and executives claim huge increases for their own pay increases.  Meanwhile the bosses pamphlet (the Australian Financial Review) claims offshoring jobs will magically increase local wages, lottery tickets for aged care workers will relieve staff shortages and that insecure work isn't a problem but is a good thing!

Ben looks at the explosion in multiple jobs and how Australian's are now in a worse place than American workers and how California is moving ahead with multi-employer bargaining to improve worker wages.

As Australian workers, in union, continue to push to improve wages and conditions by changing the policy settings so if you want better wages and conditions join australianunions.org.au/wow

Episode 105: NSW state of chaos, too many jobs but not enough pay, breakthroughs in Ukraine and the good news is about air

Van Badham and Ben Davison discuss how the latest industrial action on New South Wales' rail network is a worker provided win for commuters and a revelation about the New South Wales Liberal government's ongoing state of chaos. Remember you can join your union at australianunions.org.au/wow

New data shows that record numbers of workers in Australia hold down multiple jobs but still can't get ahead, which is why union campaigns for secure jobs remain so crucial.

Van runs through the analysis about how Russia went from the status of having "the second greatest army in the world" to barely being the second greatest army in Ukraine, and there's good news about air - on both Earth AND on Mars!

Plus we give shoutout to our Cadre and Extend the Reach supporters from www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday and don't forget to get your tickets to see The Week on Wednesday LIVE! at Melbourne Fringe Festival.

Weekend Wrap 11th September 2022: SPECIAL Van Badham joins Ben to discuss parliament, the death of Queen Elizabeth II and what’s next

Van Badham and Ben Davison discuss the big issues from the week in parliament, including the first climate legislation in a decade, family and domestic violence leave and the scrapping of the the multi-million dollar grant program to the governor-general's pet foundation, before the historic passing of Queen Elizabeth.

Van and Ben - both republicans - discuss why the passing of the Queen is a historic moment, the differences in Australian and British reactions, why Prime Minister Albanese's nuanced understanding of this moment as Australia makes our own way towards recognition & reconciliation was so important on Insiders and how the 73 year old King Charles III may, or may not, take his lifetime of environmental advocacy into his role as King.

While the last 70 years have seen a passive and unifying monarch on the throne, Ben and Van remind us that Elizabeth's kingly grandfather was a key player in the First World War, her kingly uncle abdicated while harbouring fascist sympathies and that while the United Kingdom is currently so very troubled it remains to be seen what role King Charles III will take in British life.

Episode 104: Qantas Gets Joyced, the Economy, and Dutton Goes Nuclear

Van Badham and Ben Davison overcome their technology issues and meet online with Ben in Brisbane and Van back in Victoria. They discuss the ongoing corporate failure at Qantas, and a situation best described as an omnidirectional clusterJoyce. Meanwhile, Dutton's "Leftovers" on the Opposition benches have decided they now like workers, who themselves are having to take action to raise wages despite the nation experiencing full employment and rising productivity. Van and Ben dive into the murky waters used to cool the nuclear power stations seems to love so much, and the good news is about CRAB-POWERED BATTERIES!!!

Weekend Wrap 4th September 2022: Jobs Summit wins for workers, Dutton’s ideological blinkers and big business turns on small business

Ben Davison gives a breakdown of the Jobs and Skills Summit.  Looking at the outcomes, the positioning, the deal making and the politics behind the biggest step change in how Australia's economy is set up since the Howard era.

Australian Unions made huge progress towards multi-employer bargaining, tripartite decision making on the transition to net zero as well as skills and policies that improve access for women, workers with disabilities and migrant workers to better pay and secure employment. 

Ben also looks at Brendan O'Connor's Insiders interview and the need for everyone to do more to support apprentices.  You can join your union, whether you're an apprentice or not, at australianunions.org.au/wow

Peter Dutton and his Liberal Party decided not only to not attend but launched attack ads against the summit participants.  Dutton and his team rolled out the same old attacks against workers and pretended to be concerned for small business while their big business lobbyist mates were attacking small businesses calling them "weak links"  and accusing them of "betrayal".

Alan Joyce, Gerry Harvey and the usual gang of rent seekers have tried to undermine the summit outcomes because their business models are built on exploiting a system that is about to change.