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 Jan 18, 2023
Wednesday Jan 18, 2023
Van Badham and Ben Davison look at how Dutton is playing politics over The Voice to parliament, why he's playing a politically dangerous game and just how easy it is to find "the detail" he claims he cannot find. (Ben reads it out if you're interested Peter)
Turns out gas appliances aren't great for our health, our environment or our wallets but, as culture war correspondent Van Badham reports, there's enough vested interests to keep American law makers and ridiculous sky news types ranting about why pumping gas that makes unwell directly into your home should be a right.
With workplace law changes meaning more workers than ever will be able to get the benefits of union negotiated and won pay agreements the debate about "free riders" has started. Many union leaders from sectors as diverse as childcare and the rail industry, healthcare and manufacturing are calling for changes to the law to allow for union won pay rises to include a fee for the service that non-members would have to pay. Van and Ben discuss the idea, where it has come from and how Australia has ended up with huge numbers of people getting benefits they aren't paying for at the moment. You can join your union anytime at australianunions.org.au/wow to make sure your workplace has the resources needed to win better pay and conditions.
Van and Ben also reveal the dates of The Week on Wednesday LIVE at Adelaide Fringe 22nd February-15th of March tickets at https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/the-week-on-wednesday-live-with-van-badham-ben-davison-live-podcast-af2023
And as our downloads get closer and closer to ONE MILLION the support of our Cadre, Extend the Reach and Buck a Week supporters in growing our audience is even more valuable. Check our supporter page at www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday to get the podcast, links and early info in your inbox!
Sunday Jan 15, 2023
Sunday Jan 15, 2023
Ben Davison explores how workers at the Mantle Group stood together in union against a sham agreement that saw hundreds of workers denied their proper wages. The Queensland and New South Wales based hospitality company continues to deny any wrong doing but the case is damning for the company (who might face criminal charges) and a win for workers. Join your union at australianunions.org.au/wow
This week saw the death of George Pell. Ben, from Ballarat, talks about what this has meant for him, his community and how one man's indifference to the suffering of others has caused damage that even his death will not simply repair.
NSW Premier Dom Perrottet gave a press conference this week where he admitted to wearing a Nazi uniform at his own 21st birthday. Ben questions how NSW youngest premier couldn't have known that was an inappropriate thing to do and how the dysfunction of the NSW Liberals is exposing that maybe Dom Perrottet is really only interested in having power.
Plus there's a reminder of you can catch The Week on Wednesday LIVE at the Adelaide festival from the last week of February to the middle of March tickets here https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/the-week-on-wednesday-live-with-van-badham-ben-davison-live-podcast-af2023
Wednesday Jan 11, 2023
Wednesday Jan 11, 2023
Van Badham and Ben Davison take a look at some of the big issues facing working people in the UK and the USA and find that there's an Australian flavour in conservative moves to strip worker's of rights.
In the UK Rishi Sunak is trying to ban effective strikes and force people to cross picket lines with a law that one of his own MP's has called "shameful". The "protecting essential services" approach is one that is already law in Australia and has been used to stop industrial actions from train strikes to the release of exam results. With industrial action at low levels and wages going backwards its clear why Sunak wants an even more heavy handed version of these laws.
Over in the USA the Supreme Court is hearing a case that may rip up nearly 60 years of precedent to make individual workers and their unions liable for losses incurred by a boss during industrial action. This would in effect make every strike a huge financial risk as opposed to an immediate small cost for a longer term gain. Its an approach the Liberals tried in Australia with the ABCC regime in construction (now abolished).
Unions everywhere are standing up against these attacks and you can join your union at australianunions.org.au/wow
In Brazil the far right play book has entered its final chapter, an attempted coup. Van runs through why the coup attempt against Lula happened, how Trumpists and billionaires have incited it and why Lula was able to restore order and democracy so quickly.
You can catch Van and Ben LIVE at the Adelaide Fringe https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/the-week-on-wednesday-live-with-van-badham-ben-davison-live-podcast-af2023
And support the podcast reaching even more people by becoming a Cadre, Extend the Reach or Buck a week supporter at www.buymeacoffee.com/WeekOnWednesday
Sunday Jan 08, 2023
Sunday Jan 08, 2023
Ben looks at how the dysfunctional Republican Party took a record number of ballots to finally elect the only candidate they had for speaker and why the next two years may be ungovernable for the Party that once saw itself as the "natural party of government".
Peter Dutton has kicked on 2023 behind in the polls and desperate to find a pathway into government. Today's press conference on The Voice was a classic polyphonic speech, talking to multiple audiences with a different set of meanings. It was crass, it was disingenuous, it displayed how he remains beholden to far right ideologues and it had a touch of cooker sprinkled into the middle.
Ben breaks down why this double speak will fail to win back the Menzian centre right and further entrenches people's distrust of Dutton and his conservative rump.
Plus if you worked over the recent public holidays you should have received penalty rates, check your payslip and join your union at australianunions.org.au/wow to make sure you are getting the wages you've earned.
Wednesday Jan 04, 2023
Wednesday Jan 04, 2023
Van Badham and Ben Davison return in 2023 by breaking down the collapse in support for Dutton's Liberal/National Coalition, why the post Gen X generations are not buying the culture wars and how the combination of material pain caused by insecure work, housing affordability & neo-liberal economics has joined the existential threat of climate change to alter generational voting patterns.
Van and Ben also look at how the ACMA letter to the ABC exposes the neo-liberal success at "institutional capture" and why the fallacy of "non-political" appointments has seen ideologues who oppose policies of the elected government exercising power in Australia.
The chaos engulfing the US Congressional process to appoint a speaker is a stark example of how important continual vigilance and engagement is in protecting democracy. While Murdoch issues demands via Fox News the Republicans STILL only have one candidate but won't use their slim majority to appoint him if he doesn't bend the knee.
Van and Ben discuss how involvement in your union, join at australianunions.org.au/wow, and engagement with what is happening in your community is vital for democracy to thrive.
Plus there is good news about garbage powered cars!
And we give shoutouts to our Cadre and Extend the Reach supporters who have gone to www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday to help us grow our audience.
Wednesday Dec 14, 2022
Wednesday Dec 14, 2022
Ben Davison looks at Scott Morrison's performance at the Robodebt Royal Commission and isn't surprised to learn that Morrison has not regrets, is still pitting groups of Australian's against each other and is avoiding answering the questions.
A terrible act of terrorism in Queensland have resulted in the deaths of three innocents and three suspected terrorists. Police were ambushed by conspiracy cultists at a property in Queensland. Ben does discuss what happened but more importantly why it happened and what we need to do to stop QAnon and other conspiracy cults from inciting violence. HINT: it involves a higher level of journalism, among other things.
At the other end of the political spectrum Ben speaks with Annabel, a Pampas worker of 33 years service, who is on strike for better job security for casuals and a decent pay increase. You can show support to Annabel and her fellow strikers at https://chuffed.org/project/pampas-strike and join your union at australianunions.org.au/wow
The good news is a $10 Billion renewable investment fund that will give the public a stake in the success of a raft of new wind, solar and battery projects.
Plus we give our supporters from www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday a shout out and congratulations on what has been a MASSIVE 2022.
Van Badham and Ben Davison will be back with an end of year wrap up and more episodes and live events in 2023!
Sunday Dec 11, 2022
Sunday Dec 11, 2022
Ben Davison looks at the Albanese Labor government announcement of an Environmental Protection Agency to improve our natural environment and meet the zero extinctions target.
The national cabinet has agreed a new national energy policy to cap fuel input costs and reduce energy costs in 2023 for households and businesses. Ben explores how a decade of Coalition mismanagement and failed privatisations has made our domestic energy market a mess and contrasts that with the Western Australia experience where they have maintained ownership and control.
The Pampas workers are still on strike and Ben takes a look at both the local owners, Goodman Fielder, and the multinational corporation that owns them, Wilmar International. The chain of greed stretches into some surprising places.
Remember that the only solution to organised greed is organised workers so join you union at australianunions.org.au/wow
Wednesday Dec 07, 2022
Wednesday Dec 07, 2022
Van Badham and Ben Davison sat down with NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns to discuss his campaign, why privatisation doesn't work, why his former school teacher dad inspires him to respect the power of education to change lives and what it will take to fix the gig economy, workers rights and local manufacturing.
Join Van, Ben and the NSW Labor leader as they discuss the need to put workers at the centre of reform, how each of us can improve our communities by talking with people about the issues we face and why being opposition leader is a hard job but doesn't have to mean always being negative.
Van and Ben also discuss the Pampas strike and the failure of Zambrero to protect workers in their supply chain. A deeper dive with workers involved in the campaign will be in next week's episode. Don't forget wherever you work, whoever you work for you need to be a union member and can join at australianunions.org.au/wow
And the good news is the re-election of Democratic Senator in Georgia Raphael Warnock!
Plus we give shout outs to all our www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday Cadre and Extend the Reach supporters.
Sunday Dec 04, 2022
Sunday Dec 04, 2022
Ben Davison starts by acknowledging our Buy me a Coffee supporters www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday and breaking down some of the achievements of the first six months of the Albanese Labor government.
Ben talks about what's happened with Labor in power, Dutton's move to the political fringe and what we might see in 2023.
With workplace reforms passed and more likely in 2023 nows the best time to join your union at australianunions.org.au/wow
Plus Ben praises the Socceroos not just for their performance on the field but also for their solidarity off the field too!
Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
Van Badham and Ben Davison examine the historic censure motion against former Minister-for-Everything Scott Morrison and his entirely egregious response to it. They also discuss a refreshingly busy legislative week in the federal parliament, with Labor's IR bill and National Anti-Corruption Commission set to become law. While Australia steps into the future, the National Party remain deeply wedded to the past, committing themselves to campaigning against the First Nations' Voice to Parliament that a majority of Australians already support. Is the Coalition out of touch? Or are they on an ACTUAL ASTEROID shooting out of our galaxy at incredible speed? Decide for yourself when you hear the good news about electric vehicles...