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

Weekend Wrap Feb 14, 2021

Victoria is in a 5 day lockdown but where’s the vaccine Morrison? Trump is acquitted despite the majority voting to convict Sports Rorts & Dutton Donor grants The Altona refinery set to close & Australia’s fuel security problem

Episode 24: Crown loses its sparkle, Morrison's Omnibus Bill hits a pothole & Eddie Maguire's poor me resignation

Van Badham and Ben Davison explore the chequered history of the Barangaroo site of Crown's $2.2 Billion casino, and speak to the dodgy business surrounding Crown - looking at you "Shameful" James - that's put the whole project in doubt.

The Morrison Liberal Government's "IR Omnibus Bill" comes under scrutiny from the senate as experts, regulators, unions and ordinary people line up against pay cuts... while SkyNews "personalities" squawk at union ads and Albo starts to hit the high notes on jobs, jobs security and raising wages.

The good news? Eddie Maguire resigns as President of Collingwood, though he may still not understand why... and football legend Eric Cantona's insight about trawlers comes to life as fishermen find a colourful way to save endangered birds.

Plus: our dog Germanicus knocks over a light, snores, snuffles and makes clear he'd rather be out in the sun. 

 

Weekend Wrap Feb 7, 2021

Ben looks at the lockdown coming off and the bushfires in Western Australia, Victoria bans “gay conversion therapy”, Morrison keeps the focus on Kelly while trying to cut wages, job security and super plus it is the week for Super Bowl LV and the Australian Open. The news you need to start the week in just 11 minutes

Episode 23: Tanya takes on Kelly, The Reserve bank predicts a painful 2021 & a Bernie meme changing lives

Van Badham looks at Tanya Plibersek calling out conspiracy theorist and Morrison government backbencher Craig Kelly and examines why Morrison has been happy to let disinformation be spread by his team.

Ben breaks down the Australian Reserve Bank (RBA) latest predictions on wages, jobs and how, without the Morrison government doing its share of the lifting, the bank won't be able to ease the pain for working people in 2021

The good news is how a Bernie Sanders meme is helping thousands of people out of food poverty.

And our dog Germanicus warns off the neighbours.

This is the Week on Wednesday

weekend wrap Jan 31, 2021

In less than 15 minutes you’ll find out about #Gamestop and what it means, Perth’s COVID lockdown, farmers discovering that paying people properly and treating them decently means they’ll do farm work & Australian Unions has launched, For The Workers, their campaign to stop the IR Omnibus Workchoices 2.0

Episode 22: Biden hits the ground running, Morrison fires up the culture wars & good news on rhinos

Van Badham goes through how Biden has hit the ground running with executive orders on labour rights, climate change, COVID and equality. Van and Ben discuss how Biden is doing the material in order to undo the damage of the Trump era to equality in the United States then Ben takes a look at how Morrison has been setting culture war fires using Australia Day, the honours system and the ABC to hide the material reality of deliberately high unemployment, record low wage growth, a weakened retirement system and less job security under his government.

The good news is how IVF technology is bringing back the Rhino, and many more species.

Plus our dog Germanicus insists on having his say.

This is the Week on Wednesday.

Weekend Wrap Jan 24 2021

This weekend’s wrap covers: -Solomon Lees gets a $20M dividend from a $40M Jobkeeper payment -Morrison honours Margaret Court while ignoring millions unemployed & underemployed, record low wage growth & people’s retirements being emptied during the pandemic. -Australia Day/Invasion Day. It’s bad. -“Get on the Beers” makes the Hottest 100 -Biden raises the minimum wage in the US while Morrison tries to cut wages & job security in Australia -Peter’s ice cream takes the opportunity to force wage cuts of up to $16,000 a year.

Episode 21: What's going on with the economy & jobs? Plus austerity is taking away kids lunches.

Van Badham looks at how the globalisation of economic "austerity" ideology has stripped food from the mouths of children in the UK - first through vouchers and now with a privatised food parcel program... and what it might mean for us in Australia.

Ben Davison discusses the disconnect between neoliberal economists claiming an Australian economic recovery at the same time A MILLION Australians remain unemployed, and why lifting minimum wages around the world is good for workers here, too.

The good news is that electric car batteries are starting to cross the final barriers to making electric vehicles the most practical choice. 

Stay informed without doomscrolling, and give 45 minutes of your time to THE WEEK ON WEDNESDAY!

Weekend Wrap Jan 17, 2021

The #GladysCluster is keeping COVID-19 going in NSW, tennis players are arguing with their quarantine restrictions, Morrison wants to force you to stay in a loveless marriage by making divorce take at least two years and his government is determined to kill a pigeon because apparently that’s their constitutional responsibility for quarantine (it’s definitely not all those pesky returning Australians who have to be put into hotels), all while the USA continues the process of ending the Trumpian era. We hope. 15 minutes of key facts for you to know as you start your week.

Episode 20: Trump's failed coup, Morrison & McCormack try on Trumpery & the good news is "Plyscrapers"

Van Badham examines Trump's failed coup, the events the lead to five people dying, the threat to democracy and what the repercussions might be politically for Trump and the Republican Party as well as the increasing financial implications for the Trump Organisation.

Ben Davison looks at how "a bit weak" Morrison and his deputy McCormack are trying on some Trumpery to deny reality, letting their backbench run riot and continue to avoid responsibility for actually governing.

The good news is timber "Plyscrapers" are here and are helping reduce carbon emissions.