Episode 139: The RBA Demands More Unemployment, Greens Delay Action On Housing, The Referendum Is Coming And So Is The Dirt Machine But The Voice Is Winning! "The Week On Wednesday" With Van Badham & Ben Davison podcast

1:14:01

Van Badham and Ben Davison devote an episode to pulling apart the world’s most uncharismatic populist, Peter Dutton, as well as his energetic attempt to make Australia as dysfunctional as it was last time he was in government: with plans to reduce workplace pay and safety gains, sack 38,000 public servants, end fee-free TAFE, strip universal childcare provisions and dance for Gina Rinehart and the fossil fuel industry like an auditionee for a “Fame” revival. While Dutton promises a suite of policies that might sound "solution-y" - from nuclear energy proposals to changes in superannuation for home buyers - it's such a Trump-like approach, it's little wonder "the Temu Trump" nickname is starting to stick. How this may manifest in a his campaign pitch and how those who want to stop him should respond to it is also TOP OF MIND. There’s also good news about cars in Norway, and Germanicus is finally successful in crawling up onto Van’s lap. Join us as we unpack the intricate dynamics of the day, offering our own SPARKLING TAKE on why risking Peter Dutton is a bad, bad, very bad idea. AND Van gives our Cadre and Extend the Reach supporters a shoutout!…

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Episode 163: Auspol in 2025, Australia's economic position, disinformation and good news about renewables 1:12:07

8 weeks назад1:12:07

1:12:07

Van Badham and Ben Davison are FINALLY back! Today, they take "Auspol 2025" head-on. As a federal election looms, the episode explores reality versus hyperbole around the Australian economy and considers the role of disinformation warping the view. The good news is about the growth of Australia's renewables infrastructure set to energise MILLIONS of homes. Ben shares his expert insights on the economic landscape, highlighting the strength of Australia's fundamentals and dissecting the misinformation clouding public perception, Van is more grateful than ever for having gone to art school, and Germanicus yaps at at least two passers by (you've missed him the most, people, haven't you?!). As Australia gears up for an election year, the podcast assesses the capitalist conditions imposed on political discourse, the Xenophobic Lie Machine, Peter Dutton's "nuclear mcguffin" and the economic implications of all three. It's a bumper return episode and we are just so glad to be back! Thanks for sticking with us over QUITE the challenging year!…

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Episode 162: Trump's Debate Meltdown and the Scourge of Disinformation 56:26

25 weeks назад56:26

56:26

Van Badham and Ben Davison (and Germanicus the dog) HAVE RETURNED! As Ben recovers from twelve months of illness, this long overdue return to The Week on Wednesday begins with heartfelt gratitude for the Medicare system, as you’d expect. Our delighted duo then analyze the first U.S. presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, highlighting Harris's effective preparation and Trump's off-chops - and certainly weird - shouty rants about pet-eating in Ohio. They also explore news from the word of “Disinfoland”, concerning the arrest of Telegram's Pavel Durov in France, the suspension of Elon Musk’s “X” platform in Brazil and the indictment of two alleged Russian agents for “information laundering” pro-Putin talking points through U.S. right-wing influencers. Ben encourages you to JOIN A UNION, and Van cuddles the dog. A big shoutout to our supporters who’ve stayed with us all these months; friends, we are SO BACK. More on the US Presidential debate: https://www.npr.org/2024/09/11/nx-s1-5108401/donald-trump-debate-eating-dogs-cats-immigrants-false-stereotype Great piece from Alexander Howard about the present window for effective social media platform regulation: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/10/opinion/telegram-tiktok-x-social-media.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare Sally McManus explains the allegations against the CFMEU: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/Srn4vDrnuCrxcmCa/ Come see Van’s new show about Nazis in Melbourne: https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/werewolf/ Buy us some coffee (and we’ll spend the money on ads): https://buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday…

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Episode 161: Dr Chalmers Keynesian budget remedy 1:10:02

42 weeks назад1:10:02

1:10:02

Van Badham and Ben Davison journey into the heart of Australia's Federal Budget 2024. Our hosts dissect Dr Jim’s reintroduction of nation building into macroeconomic management in a discussion that spans the breadth of the budget from fun nuance to big-picture policy decision and rejects the screaming-banana response of the Murdoch media. Join our hosts as they examine how the media has been conditioned since Howard to expect budgets that are little more than lists of marginal seat give aways and how Jim Chalmers has delivered a truly Keynesian budget that seeks to manage the economy not just tax and spend it for votes. From tax cuts to cost-of-living relief, education to housing, we unpack complexities and implications of each policy decision on your household, your wallet and the Australian future to come. Also, the dog barks, cutely.…

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Episode 160: Stopping male violence, the education budget we have to have and big batteries 1:03:10

43 weeks назад1:03:10

1:03:10

Van Badham and Ben Davison have rescheduled Wednesday to a Monday this week, to delve into the labyrinth of policy complexities surrounding the fight to end violence against women and children, highlighting the frustrations and challenges faced and dissecting the terrifying implications of a private school’s latest misconduct scandal. As the Albanese government makes a string of announcements wiping student debt, funding practical placements and increasing fee free TAFE, we discuss why funding public schools to the minimum resource standard is imperative for Australia's future. We also find hope in a heartening good news story about renewable batteries revitalizing old coal country. Be part of the change for better by listening to our gentle exhortations to JOIN YOUR UNION: you can do it right now at www.australianunions.org.au/wow And if you want to support us directly, come visit us at www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday.…

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Episode 159: A future made in Australia, the disinformation wonderland & solar cars 1:06:43

45 weeks назад1:06:43

1:06:43

Van Badham and Ben Davison start their Wednesday on a Thursday with discussion of the federal government’s “Future Made in Australia” policy suite, and just what a policy dedicated to local jobs exposes about the people who criticises it and why unions are supporting it. Join your union at australianunions.org.au/wow SPOILER ALERT: trickle down economics gets the rightful kicking from Ben that it deserves. Next, Van’s horror at the massacre in Bondi Junction, turns to rage about the carnage opportunism of online disinformation influencers exploiting the tragedy. The good news, though, is about solar cars! If you'd like to become a supporter and make a contribution go to www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday Remember all our Extend the Reach and Cadre supporters get acknowledged by Van every episode…

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Episode 158: Tasmanian election lessons, narrative wars, its the economy and good news about airships 1:17:48

47 weeks назад1:17:48

1:17:48

Baby, we are BACK! Van and Ben return after a super frustrating hiatus to discuss the issues of the day in their inimitable style. The recent Tasmanian election has thrown up a complex and divided result, delivering more crossbenchers to the parliament than opposition members, and the Liberals forming minority government with nothing to guarantee the passage of legislation but wild hope. Ben and Van discuss this in the context of Tasmania’s unusual electoral system and the politics of independent representation more broadly. The analysis continues as Ben breaks down the ongoing good news about the Australian economy, with the unsurprising if excellent news that union members are seeing significant pay increases as the result of the newly legislated frameworks for improved collective bargaining. (If you want in, join your union right now via www.australianunions.org.au/wow Ben peeling back the obfuscations of the Liberals and works through why Labor’s successes aren’t more broadly known. The distraction politics of Peter Dutton and the Amazing Modular Nuclear Reactors That Don’t Actually Exist is placed in the context it so duly deserves. Finally, the good news is about airships. This is at least the third time this show has celebrated airship initiatives, as Van is obviously obsessed with them, everyone should Be, they are the jewels of the air and the future of all humanity! (It is possible that Van wrote this). We’d like to thank all of our listeners for their continued support and solidarity with us over this period of Ben’s illness. It means more to this household than you could possibly know. You can become a supporter and leave us a message at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday…

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Weekend Wrap 3 December 2023: Employment services reforms, the grind of government and the media circus 33:38

1 year назад33:38

33:38

Ben Davison returns to take a look at a week in parliament that saw the Closing Loopholes bill pass the lower house, the greens and coalition team up to block the new shared home equity scheme, the mess that Labor is trying to clean up from Dutton's unlawful immigration detention scheme and Julian Hill's inquiry into Employment services. The Employment services inquiry has found a huge amount of waste, an ideological system that punishes people and fails to actually help people get work. Ben takes a look at the report, Van Badham's latest Guardian article on the topic and the insights of Per Capita CEO Emma Dawson as the Labor government considers changes that Dutton's Coalition has already said they will oppose. The Labor government's reform agenda is starting to face multiple fronts of inertia, vested interest and a media more interested in a fight and "who's winning" than in the impact that governing can actually have in people's lives. Ben take a look at why we need to cut through the noise and keep the debate focused on the billions of dollars and millions of lives that are improved by reform.…

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Episode 157: Generational economic divide, Loopholes closer to closing & good news on renewables 1:00:21

1 year назад1:00:21

1:00:21

Van Badham and Ben Davison give and update on the For Every Child public school funding campaign ( www.foreverychild.au/postcard ) , the Maritime Union campaign to stop wage theft in shipping and take a deeper dive into the progress on Closing the Loopholes for labour hire, casual and gig workers. it is Go Home on Time Day! Workers are losing billions in unpaid overtime and through the corporate exploitation of loopholes. Van and Ben discuss how the union movement is tackling this problem and why you should join at australianunions.org.au/wow The systemic generational and class divides that are being defended by big corporate interests, billionaires and those who believe in the RBA ideology come into sharp focus as Van and Ben discuss some of the latest research showing just how much economic insecurity is impacting people and how disinformation is trying to keep working people divided. Why? To slow and prevent changes that would benefit everyone at the expense of the already wealthy and powerful. The good news is that renewable energy has driven power bills down to almost ZERO in Portugal! Proving that we can, over the long run, take control of our energy emissions and bills. As always Van acknowledges our Cadre and Extend the Reach supporters who have made ongoing financial contributions to helping us build the audience for the podcast. Become a supporter at www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday…

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Weekend Wrap 19 November 2023: Profiteers cash in, school funding needs fix and why Albo went to APEC 31:24

1 year назад31:24

31:24

Ben Davison returns with the weekend wrap to look at how corporate share buy backs are further evidence of profiteering driving inflation and why the Closing the Loopholes legislation is needed asap. You can join your union at www.australianunions.org.au/wow to add your voice to the millions calling for wage increases instead of profit payouts. The Australian Education Union has released new research that shows our public schools are underfunded by the almost the same amount as the share buy backs that just the big banks are handing out, that private schools are on track to be OVER funded by $3Billion and that the government investment in public education makes a return TWO to FOUR times! If you want our public schools properly funded go to https://www.foreverychild.au/postcard to send Albo a message. Finally Ben discusses why Albo needed to go to APEC, why Dutton is attacking him for it and how the Coalition is still desperate to find an existential threat, other than climate change, to justify its existence. If you enjoy our podcast you can help us reach more people at www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday…

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Episode 156: Wages rise, Duttons dangerous disinformation, why school funding is a targeted use of the surplus and good news for stone workers 1:13:01

1 year назад1:13:01

1:13:01

Van Badham and Ben Davison dig into the best wage rise numbers in more than 20 years, discuss why many people will still be going backwards and, as the ACTU Price Gouging Inquiry wraps up, what we can do to help stop the profiteering. The union movement wins on minimum wage, awards, for aged care workers and improved collective agreements are lifting wages so if you want to see your pay get above the cost of living join your union at australianunions.org.au/wow Peter Dutton is back on the disinformation train, this time using a High Court decision to score political points at the expense of at least 74 innocent people. Indefinite detention has been ruled unconstitutional and the rules that Dutton put in place during his time in government have been exposed as not just morally without basis but also without legal standing. As Labor moves to fix these issues Dutton has ramped up mis vitriolic disinformation. Could it be a handy distraction from his party voting against returning $9 billion in unpaid workers wages? Or the loss of another of his moderate MPs to the cross bench? Or is it just that he bought the Trump/Bannon franchise and is determined to play it out? There's talk of another surplus budget and the ideas are already flowing. Ben and Van discuss why Albo's targeted cost of living relief is, in general, the right approach and also why supporting the 98% of public schools that are currently not funded to the MINIMUM level needed for every child is both targetted cost of living support and an investment in the future. Show your support for properly resourcing every school at https://www.foreverychild.au/postcard The good news is that the CFMEU and the broader union movement is winning the campaign to ban engineered stone. Ikea has joined Bunnings in announcing they won't stock the killer products in the future. A national policy is on the horizon and the campaign to prevent workers dying for bench-tops continues. Van acknowledges our Cadre and Extend the Reach supporters who have signed up at www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday to help us get this podcast into even more ears each and every week.…

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Episode 155: Optus outage chaos, new RBA is just like the old RBA and good news from America 1:09:54

1 year назад1:09:54

1:09:54

Van Badham and Ben Davison dish the latest on the Optus outage chaos that has swept across Australia - and argue why key national infrastructure should be in public hands. They discuss why another interest rate rise is yet another painful example of an economy outgrowing the neoliberal zealots who insist on running it, and they take a tour into the history of abusive welfare policy. The good news is from America - with key victories for Democrats (and the rights of women) in Ohio, Virginia and Kentucky elections. The dog makes a number of noises that we hope you politely ignore and the whole unscripted, unedited and DELIGHTFULLY ORGANIC conversation is recorded through an improvised tether on Van's (Telstra) mobile phone...…

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Episode 154: Corporates fight to keep loopholes, Be that teacher for every child, Medicare boost and good news about spiders 1:02:43

1 year назад1:02:43

1:02:43

Van Badham and Ben Davison shine on a spotlight on the attempts by corporate giants BHP, Qantas and Doordash to keep the labour hire, forced casualisation and sham contracting loopholes open at this week's senate committee hearings. Van lays out what is wrong with capitalism in Australia and why being in your union, join at australianunions.org.au/wow, has never been more important with over $9,000,000,000 that could become wages if the loopholes close. Jason Clare, federal Education Minister, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese today launched a $10M campaign to recruit more teachers. Ben and Van discuss why its a good start but that getting the 98% of public schools that are currently underfunded up to the minimum standard will do more to address the workload, wage and classroom issues that are creating teacher shortages. You can send the PM a postcard at https://www.foreverychild.au/postcard to show your support for every child being able to access a quality public education. Albo had a busy day as he also joined Health Minister Mark Butler to announce a boost to the Medicare bulk billing incentive. The tripled incentive will help 11,600,000 Australians get better access to bulk billing doctors. Van and Ben discuss why they focus on these core material stories that impact millions of working people when so much of the media is now dominated by culture war issues. The good news is from our friends at Labor for Farrer and is about spiders! Plus Van gives a shoutout to our Cadre and Extend the Reach supporters. Head over to www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday if you'd like to help us grow our audience.…

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Weekend Wrap 29 October 2023: Albo goes to Washington, Insiders misses context and the rules based order 35:46

1 year назад35:46

35:46

Ben Davison gives a breakdown of Anthony Albanese's successful state visit to the United States and places it in the context of what has been happening in the US, the Biden administration demonstrating the "imperial presidency" while the Republican bicker over the speakership and some of the tangible positives for Australia. Insiders seemed unable to grasp how international politics and domestic politics actually interact so Ben explains what being a "middle power" actually means and why the international rules based order is a constantly evolving concept that dates back to the Treaty of Westphalia and the end of the Holy Roman Empire but now includes people's right to join a union, the rights of people with a disability and equal opportunity for women. join you union at australianunions.org.au/wow Plus there is a shout out for the recent world teachers day and the For Every Child Campaign that is trying to get the 98% of public schools that are currently underfunded their full and proper funding.…

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Episode 153: Unions ban deadly dust, Profits fuel inflation pain, World Teachers Day and good battery news 1:03:14

1 year назад1:03:14