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

Episode 35 India's record COVID outbreak, International Workers Memorial Day, Tasmania goes to the polls and the good news is about jaguars

Van Badham & Ben Davison look at the record breaking COVID outbreak burning through India as 8,000 stranded Australian's are told by Morrison they won't be allowed to return any time soon and the world slowly starts to deliver help to the worlds most populated democracy.

It is International Workers Memorial Day (IWMD) and we commemorate the 178 Australians killed at work in 2020, offer solidarity to the efforts to keep workers safe and celebrate the good things workers, in union, have won to keep us safe so far.

Tasmania heads to the polls on Saturday as Labor seeks to overcome a Liberal government that wants to sell off TAFE, has wrecked the health system and seemingly has no plan for jobs.

And the good news is about the jaguars of Belize.

Plus Germanicus snuffles at the walls like he's on the scent of something....

Weekend Wrap Apr 25, 2021

-The climate summit shows Morrison’s ambitions are half of the USA’s and will kill the Great Barrier Reef. -Morrison wants to be thanked “not for what we have promised, but what we deliver.” So we look at his “delivery” on aged care, disability, wages, mining executives and bonuses for retail bosses. -Perth goes into lockdown as COVID hits new global records -Anzac Day we reflect on the sacrifices made by our servicemen and women in service to the ideals of Australia

Episode 34: George Floyd's murderer convicted, Morrison fails on vaccines for aged and disability care, 1 in 3 suffer financial stress plus good news on SuperLeague and bananas

Van Badham and Ben Davison look at the conviction of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd and what it might mean in the USA as well as what it might say about Australia's failure to act on the 30 year old recommendations of the royal commission into aboriginal deaths in custody.

Morrison promised aged care residents and workers were a priority for the vaccine program which was why people in disability accomodation had to wait.  So why are 85% of aged care workers still not vaccinated?  Why have so few residents been vaccinated?

1 in 3 Australian households have financial stress.  The numbers show intervention, government investment, higher support for those struggling works yet the Morrison government has cut Jobseeker and made people raid their retirement savings.

The good news is that the "European Super League" was announced and abandoned in less than a week!  A win for football fans over the billionaires.

Plus how bananas might help prevent fires and Germanicus demands to be included as he attacks the mic.

Weekend Wrap Apr 18, 2021

10 minute weekend wrap on: -Morrison does a dance with Twiggy Forrest to hide the devilish details in his “economic miracle” -Victoria opens 3 mass vaccination hubs -Peacock passes & Philip’s funeral

Episode 33: Australia Post scandal, Morrison turns to the states on vaccines, Murdoch defends Carlson's "theories" & good news about trees & rhinos

Van Badham and Ben Davison break down the scandal engulfing the treatment of Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate and how it connects to the Liberal Party plans to privatise our postal services.

Morrison has announced "mass vaccination" centres for Australian's between 50-70 with no timelines and seemingly no plan but he will be holding national cabinet meetings twice a week so the state Premiers can do the actual work for him.

Tucker Carlson has repeated a vile far right conspiracy theory on Fox "News" and instead of firing him  Lachlan Murdoch has defended Carlson for "not really believing it".  Ben and Van explain why that's bad for everyone on every level.

The good news is there are more rhino's than there were in 2017 and Saudi Arabia is planning on planting billions of trees.

Plus Germanicus gets fired up for Ben's birthday!

Weekend Wrap Apr 11, 2021

-Morrison fails on vaccine rollout as confusion reigns over blood clots, Astra Zeneca safety and Pfizer capacity -When is a commitment to implement 55 recommendations not a commitment? When it’s Morrison talking about Respect at Work -The senate is holding hearings on Job Security -Prince Philip has died and that’s sad for his family.

Episode 32: Morrison plays vaccine blame game, big business wants to cut minimum wages, NZ opens a travel bubble and good news about birds and blue skies

Van Badham and Ben Davison examine Morrison's attempt to blame the states, the EU, the media, anyone but himself for the failure to meet Covid vaccination targets and what is really going on with the failure to deliver vaccines to the millions of Australian's who should have been vaccinated by now.

The IMF says the economy will grow strongly, if we get our vaccines, and the Morrison government wants to take credit but it also says the economy is going badly so Australia can't afford an increase to the minimum wage.  We look at the how when times are good big business argues against wage increases and when times are tough they argue against wage increases.  Turns out they like calling people "essential workers" but don't like paying them like they are essential.

Australian's can visit New Zealand from April 19th but "flyer beware" the COVID conditions.

The good news is massive sandcastles for tiny birds and the air in LA is almost breathable again.

And of course Germanicus decides to try and get into the wall of the shed because it has an interesting smell.

Episode 31: Morrison's Men problem, the vaccine rollout that's not rolling and good news about condors and trees

Van Badham and Ben Davison discuss the Morrison Men problem that has seen his approval rating with women drop to 40%, a "Prime Minister for women", the political rise of women who are anti-women and Grace Tame, the Australian of the Year, challenge Morrison on his ministerial reshuffle.

Our dynamic duo also look at Morrison's failure to reach his own target of 4 million vaccinations for Australians by the end of March which has coincided with a COVID outbreak in Queensland and New South Wales.

The good news is that the condor is back in the skies above the United States and science has found new ways to help us reforest after bushfires.

Solidarity for trans day of visibility.

And Germanicus climbs over the desk and demands to go for a walk.

TW: this episode contains discussion of suicide.

Weekend wrap Mar 28, 2021

Jobkeeper ends destroying 150,000 jobs Jobseeker cut to 2nd lowest rate in the western world Andrew Lamming to quit politics but Morrison won’t fire him despite his behaviour The Evergiven is stuck and it’s driving up petroleum prices Queensland had a COVID outbreak Tasmania is going to an election And the Morrison government abandons its “Raid your retirement to pay for your flight from domestic violence” policy.

Episode 30: Morrison isn't getting it, Fires and Floods as climate changes, Jobkeeper ends this week with the destruction of 100,000 jobs and rat island recovers

Van Badham and Ben Davison look at Morrison's crocodile tears, the toxic culture of the Liberal Party and how Morrison and his government still don't seem to understand the problem is actually them.

The floods in NSW are partly attributable to climate change so Van and Ben ask the question when will the government do something about it?

Jobkeeper is ending this week with economists, the reserve bank and Treasury all predicting it will cost jobs.  Yet there's tens of billions left in the budget for the program, hundreds of millions have been given to billionaires and profitable companies so the question is why are Australian's being forced into unemployment?

The good news is that Rat Island has recovered and shows us, once again, that we can achieve huge things if we decide to work together and make a difference.

Germanicus bumps into things, makes ungodly smells and some cute noises too.