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

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.

Episode 103: The jobs summit, wages, unequal pay day and tax cuts

Van Badham and Ben Davison devote a BUMPER EPISODE to talking through: the modern Australian workplace ahead of Labor's Jobs and Skills Summit, the leadership of Sally McManus, Australian unions AND small business to get multi-employer bargaining back into the national discussion, and the *insane* suggestion of sending 13-year-olds into the workforce, and the origins of such a dopey idea.  Ben and Van also share the personal stories of three workers, Janene, Chris and Paul, who are making the case for change.  Like Janene, Chris and Paul you can become a member of your union at australianunions.org.au/wow

Unequal payday happened this week and the ACTU released a report showing how we can unlock $111Billion by empowering women in the workplace and closing the gender pay gap.  Van and Ben examine some of the findings.

We also talk about the planned Stage 3 tax cuts, as per listener request, with our views on why they are bad, why they are not a pressing issue and why Dutton wants this to be the story instead of Jobs and Skills.

We talk about SO much stuff, in fact, that our good news story for the week (about polystyrene!) is going up on our supporter page at www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday 

Weekend Wrap 28th August 2022: Morrison Inquiry announced, Robodebt royal commission, Sally McManus on Insiders

Ben Davison takes a look at the Morrison Inquiry's role in safeguarding our democracy, the Robodebt Royal Commission's role in safeguarding our social democracy and Sally McManus's ideas to get wages moving again. Start by joining your union at australianunions.org.au/wow

The government has announced an inquiry into Morrison's shredding of democratic convention to be conducted by a former High Court judge and Ben looks at why the Morrison supporters are squealing.

The Robodebt royal commission has been announced and Ben discusses why this needs to be a watershed moment for how we think about citizens in need of support.

Sally McManus, leader of the Australian Union movement, and Jennifer Westacott, head of the Business Council of Australia, were on Insiders debating proposals for bargaining reform, skills development and migration settings ahead of the Jobs and Skills Summit. Even Westacott admitted that workers on collective agreements get paid better!

Ben looks at some of the fake arguments that get used against collective bargaining and ow Michaelia Cash might have given us an unintentional insight into how the Coalition was deliberately keeping wages low.

Don't forget you can become a supporter of the podcast at www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday and get every episode emailed to you along with interesting links.

Episode 102: Inquiry into Morrison’s power grab, ACTU Climate plan for jobs summit, neo-liberal higher ed and good news on PFAS

Van Badham and Ben Davison breakdown the solicitor general's findings about Scott Morrison's shadow government of one, himself.  There will be an inquiry and Morrison says's he'll participate but looks to be imposing conditions.  Van explains how Morrison's conditions are a Trump tactic to shift blame and stall any real progress.

As Labor's support surges ahead of the Jobs and Skills summit the ACTU, Australian Unions, has put out a discussion paper on how to create jobs while taking action on emissions reduction and climate change.  Van and Ben discuss the difference having genuine stakeholder engagement and participation makes to the policy process and, given the upcoming Jobs and Skills Summit,  what this might mean for laws in our workplace.  The best way to a secure job and higher wages is to be a union member so join at australianunions.org.au/wow

The neo-liberal corporatisation of higher education has smashed job security in our universities while also sending the wages of the executives who are making profit driven decisions about higher education through the roof.  Ben shares a recent discussion he had with a leader of the NTEU (National Tertiary Education Union) on how the Liberal party used people's pre-conceived ideas about the sector and a strategy of not engaging stakeholders to create a workforce that is now mostly casual, underpaid and often the victims of wage theft.

The good news is about PFAS, the "forever chemical" might not be so "forever" after all!

And as always we give shout outs to our Cadre and Extend the Reach supporters who have gone to www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday and are making regular contributions to help us grow our audience.