Join notorious Guardian columnist Van Badham and her labour activist co-host (and partner!) Ben Davison. As they deep-dive into the big news themes of the week and provide fresh, irreverent analysis about what's really going on in Australia and around the world.
Episodes
Wednesday Feb 22, 2023
Wednesday Feb 22, 2023
Van Badham and Ben Davison deliver The Week on Wednesday LIVE! from the Adelaide Fringe! Live from the Yurt Van and Ben expose that "broccolini" is a trademarked term and that some of the agri-corp businesses, many around Adelaide, may not be all they seem. The United Workers Union are encouraging people to contact Coles and Woolworths to demand that exploitation doesn't make it on Australian tables. Don't forget you can join your union at australianunions.org.au/wow
The Murdoch organisation has boycotted the Adelaide Fringe, Australia's largest arts festival, after a dispute about advertising. Van and Ben look at what Australia's NINTH largest newspaper boycotting Australia's largest arts event has to do with Trump, Fox News, Sky News and the cultural war that has turned news audiences into market segments.
With The Statement from the Heart YES campaign launching and the Unions for YES campaign underway Van and Ben open the show with a traditional acknowledgement of country and discuss how Murdoch's NO campaign is as much about about subscription and advertising sales as it is trying to stop the referendum.
Albo spoke at the National Press Club about the concepts that underpin national security and Ben and Van explore how a broader understanding of security, security of employment, of pay, of opportunity and community participation comes together as the counter to the Murdoch organisation's project and Dutton's "Noalition".
Plus there is good news about renewable energy batteries.
You can get tickets to the next Week on Wednesday LIVE in Adelaide here: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/the-week-on-wednesday-live-with-van-badham-ben-davison-live-podcast-af2023
And Van acknowledges our Cadre and Extend the Reach supporters who have helped make these live events possible and reach an ever bigger audience, you can become a supporter at www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday
Sunday Feb 19, 2023
Sunday Feb 19, 2023
Ben looks at the first two weeks of the parliamentary sitting for 2023 where Labor introduced housing policy, manufacturing policy and emissions reduction policy all of which were opposed by Dutton and the Greens. Plus our friend Mary Doyle is running for Aston following Tudge's retirement.
The bosses pamphlets have argued against working people being involved in the running of the country but you can have your say by joining your union at australianunions.org.au/wow
Adam Bandt went on Insiders and couldn't name one country that has banned new coal and gas, couldn't say how much it would cost and wouldn't support his own Senator's statement that the government should arbitrarily override the RBA. Ben discusses why the RBA is wrong and how the government can systemically address the issues without random interventions.
While the nation is gearing up for the launch of YES to The Voice campaigns (union online launch this Wednesday night https://www.australianunions.org.au/action/voice-campaign-launch and Statement from the Heart campaign launch on Thursday https://fromtheheart.com.au/take-action) Samantha Maiden repeated Dutton talking points about the Voice not "fixing things" on Insiders. Ben looks at how empowerment has improved outcomes in the NDIS and why The Voice will help close the gap.
And finally Ben takes a look at the chaos that is the NSW Liberal state government. From Minister's distributing explicit pictures to undisclosed conflicts of interest in toll roads to MPs banned from entering parliament while facing criminal charges running as an "independant" the Liberal-National Coalition looks on the ropes. UnionsNSW is running a campaign "Essential Workers Deserve Better" focused on the high costs, low wages, high workload approach of the Liberals that Labor has promised to change.
Van and Ben will be doing the Week on Wednesday LIVE! from Adelaide Fringe https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/the-week-on-wednesday-live-with-van-badham-ben-davison-live-podcast-af2023 for the next four weeks.
Regular supporters from our www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday page can also get a special discount code to come along to see us LIVE in the Yurt.
Wednesday Feb 15, 2023
Wednesday Feb 15, 2023
Van Badham and Ben Davison break down the ideological nonsense at the heart of the Reserve Bank Governor's decision to prioritise bank profits over employment, living standards and the well being of the Australian people.
With the Commonwealth Bank declaring a record profit and 20% increase in dividends Van and Ben breakdown the fallacies at the heart of the neo-liberal ideology.
Of course at the same time mega corporation Visy is trying to give workers real term pay cuts and Ben and Van send the workers who have joined their union, join yours at australianunions.org.au/wow, solidarity in their struggle.
Van looks at "team Jorge" and how bad faith actors have been uncovered undermining democracy around the world at the same time as Elon Musk and Rupert Murdoch are getting chummy at the Superbowl.
Oh yes, its an episode where we make the links between ideology, media control, billionaires and how they all combine to both undermine your democratic power and your wages!
But there is good news about grass!
Don't forget that The Week on Wednesday LIVE is coming to the Adelaide Fringe Festival for four shows with tickets available here https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/the-week-on-wednesday-live-with-van-badham-ben-davison-live-podcast-af2023
Supporters from our www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday will be getting their discounted ticket information by email THIS WEEK!
Sunday Feb 12, 2023
Sunday Feb 12, 2023
Ben Davison looks at the big stories at the end of the first sitting week of parliament in 2023 and neo-liberal skew that Insiders offered up to the ABC audience.
While mouth piece for the bosses pamphlet, Phil Coorey, was promoting his friends at the Mineral's council advertising campaign the hidden truth that profitable major corporations will be fighting to keep workers divided and wages low during 2023 was exposed. Join your union at australianunions.org.au/wow
Jim Chalmer's delivered the good news that power prices won't be going up by as much as they were forecast, due to their price cap mechanism. Ben analyses how the Labor government is having to do a huge amount of heavy lifting on economic reform to try repairing both a decade of Liberal mismanagement and the ongoing capture of our institutions by neo-liberal ideologues. The Reserve Bank's continued assault on working people and dangerous obsession with making more people unemployed, wages lower and economic growth both lower and more concentrated into the hands of a few is proving the Liberals with political talking points and Labor with real problems.
Alan Tudge has quit parliament and, as usual, the truth has been papered over by an emotional speech given by a hypocritical and shameful middle aged upper class white man using his children as a shield from any genuine critique. Tudge has quit in disgrace. End of story.
The Week on Wednesday LIVE! at the Adelaide Fringe festival starts in just 10 days so get your tickets to see Van Badham and Ben Davison in The Yurt now https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/the-week-on-wednesday-live-with-van-badham-ben-davison-live-podcast-af2023
Wednesday Feb 08, 2023
Wednesday Feb 08, 2023
Van Badham and Ben Davison examine former Greens Senator for Victoria Lidia Thorpe's announcement that she is no longer a Green Party member but is now leader of "a grassroots Blak sovereign movement."
They look at the commentary around her split from the Greens, events leading up to this moment, what "a grassroots Blak sovereign movement" might actually mean based on Thorpe's public statements and the implications for democracy and the Voice referendum.
Thorpe's announcement, made standing alone in a hallway, came on the first sitting day of parliament for 2023 where a large number of issues are being debated, including more improvements for workers rights. You can join your union at australianunions.org.au/wow to make sure you get your proper wages and conditions.
Dark Brandon (a play on a meme about Joe Biden) rose today as Joe Biden nailed the Republican's during the State of the Union Address. Van and Ben discuss how Qanon talking points, culture wars and performative politics have so consumed the Republicans that Biden was able to get them to publicly show support for social security and Medicare while their leaders accuse one another of horrendous crimes, ban books and want to legislate putting sugar in milk.
Plus there is good news from the SEA about both hydrogen and plastics!
Van also gives an on air promise to sign copies of her book Qanon and On for anyone who comes to see the Week on Wednesday LIVE! at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/the-week-on-wednesday-live-with-van-badham-ben-davison-live-podcast-af2023
There's also shout outs to our supporters who have gone to www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday including special ones for a new arrival to Australia and an Extend the Reach supporter who has become Cadre!
Sunday Feb 05, 2023
Sunday Feb 05, 2023
Ben Davison reviews the return of the ABC's flagship political discussion show, Insiders. As host David Speers manages to make incredibly dismissive off hand comment about the Robodebt Royal Commission and another panelist waves off the only first nations panellist's views about the situation in Alice Springs Professor Megan Davis patiently explains that The Voice referendum is about principles, not details.
No one knows where the offices will be or what colour the business cards might have on them but we do know that the launch of the YES campaign is happening while Ben and Van Badham will be doing the Week on Wednesday LIVE! at Adelaide Fringe Festival (tickets here: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/the-week-on-wednesday-live-with-van-badham-ben-davison-live-podcast-af2023) and our hosts hope to give you a report back in a future episode.
Ben looks at the Chifley Research Centre conference in Canberra where Albo has defined the referendum as being about two principles; Recognition and Consultation, Tony Burke has outlined the next phases of workplace law reforms and Jim Chalmers has built on his excellent Monthly essay where he essentially argues that society and the economy are two sides of the same coin. Ben explores what that might mean in the context of the inflation challenge, falling living standards and record profits in some sectors.
Yesterday was World Cancer day and Ben reminds us why union safety standards are so important; 1 in 10 cancers around the world are due to workplace exposure to hazardous material. If not for better pay and more secure work, join your union for a better, healthier life at australianunions.org.au/wow
Wednesday Feb 01, 2023
Wednesday Feb 01, 2023
Van Badham and Ben Davison took a look at the Revive cultural policy launched by the Albanese Labor government and what it will mean for working people in the arts, in Australian audiences and to conversation about who we are as a nation.
Van share's some of her experiences as an artist and just what Revive will mean for the tens of thousands of people working in arts and culture across Australia.
After a decade, or more, of campaigning in union workers now have a right to paid family and domestic violence leave. Van and Ben take a look at three examples where workers are standing together against extraordinary pressure from billionaires, multinational corporations and dodgy bosses across Visy, Woodside and the Mantle Group. Whether you're in the arts, resources, hospitality, manufacturing, healthcare, education or any other work you can join your union at australianunions.org.au/wow
The Robodebt royal commission is continuing but revelations this week about the extent of the wrong doing by the former Liberal-National government has shocked the nation. Van and Ben discuss how Australia got to this point, their own experiences of unemployment and what lessons the royal commission has already given us.
And there is good news about crushed glass being used as a whole new material!
Don't forget to get your tickets to the Adelaide Fringe festival to see The Week on Wednesday LIVE! at https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/the-week-on-wednesday-live-with-van-badham-ben-davison-live-podcast-af2023
Plus Van gives shoutouts to our Cadre and Extend the Reach supporters who have visited www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday (Ben promises Van will always be the one to do it in future too...)
Sunday Jan 29, 2023
Sunday Jan 29, 2023
Ben Davison takes a closer look at the situation in Alice Springs and how the end of a 15 year ban on alcohol in some communities coincided with cuts to support services, a federal election and a Morrison government unable to think beyond the news cycle to create the slow moving storm that has now engulfed the community. And maybe provides the clearest example of why The Voice is needed.
Ben looks at how the West Australian opposition, with only six lower house members across two parties, has managed to find itself in disarray at the start of 2023.
With more companies abandoning ships Ben takes a look at the case of the Yangtze Fortune and the crew. Owed money, unable to get home to the Philippines and no clear path to freedom the workers are relying on the International Transport Federation (ITF) and the Maritime Union of Australia to make it through each day. Join your union at australianunions.org.au/wow
You can also get your tickets for The Week on Wednesday LIVE! at Adelaide Fringe festival now at https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/the-week-on-wednesday-live-with-van-badham-ben-davison-live-podcast-af2023
Wednesday Jan 25, 2023
Wednesday Jan 25, 2023
Ben Davison examines some of the history, the changing attitudes, the cultural impacts and the evolving community sentiment towards January 26th. Ben believes there is a need for change to "Australia Day"/"Invasion Day" if we are to have a day that celebrates modern Australia while recognising our complex and painful history. You can find more info on the views of First Nations Workers and how to become an ally at www.fnwa.org.au
Inflation has hit a new high, though lower than the 8% forecast, and Ben discusses what that means, what the policy options are and why the RBA might end up forcing Australia into a recession. With the RBA governor demanding that workers wear the cost, while businesses reap the profits, it is a vital time to join your union at australianunions.org.au/wow to help protect your wages, conditions and even your job.
Once the most polluted river in the UK, the Mersey is now a thriving habitat again. Ben talks through some good news and the lessons it gives us all.
While Van couldn't be in this episode she will be at the Adelaide Fringe for The Week on Wednesday LIVE! Tickets now available at https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/the-week-on-wednesday-live-with-van-badham-ben-davison-live-podcast-af2023
And Ben does the shoutouts for our Cadre and Extend the Reach supporters, reminding us all why Van normally does them!
Sunday Jan 22, 2023
Sunday Jan 22, 2023
Ben Davison looks at the recent polling showing a surge in support for Chris Minns and the NSW Labor party at the expense of Dom Perrottet's Liberal/National coalition government. Ben goes through why working people have had enough of the cuts, the costs and the waste during a decade of mismanagement by the Liberals. Also how unions are getting organised to win better pay, services and more secure jobs, join them at australianunions.org.au/wow. You can check out Van and Ben's interview with Labor leader Chris Minns from December 7th on Episode 114 of The Week on Wednesday.
The Voice enjoys support from a majority of Australian's in a majority of states. While Dutton "reaches for the Abbott playbook" and the conservative media try to pretend otherwise every state, except Queensland, would deliver a comfortable majority YES to for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice referendum. Ben breaks it down state by state.
Ben touches on the retirement of Jacinda Ardern. Van's Guardian article articulates why she was important, not just to New Zealand but to many people around the world.
Ben closes off with an examination of the escalating problems at Qantas. Remember you can hear what the maintenance workers were telling Ben and Van back in September in Episode 104 about Joyce's cuts. SIX MONTHS BEFORE the four "mechanical issues" in three days that the airline has suffered this week.
And don't forget you can Van and Ben doing The Week on Wednesday LIVE at Adelaide FRINGE, tickets here https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/the-week-on-wednesday-live-with-van-badham-ben-davison-live-podcast-af2023