Van Badham and Ben Davison look at the Albanese Labor government's first budget, handed down by Jim Chalmers.  They explore the three themes of keeping election promises, targeted cost of living relief and putting downward pressure on inflation interact with each other. 

They also take a look under the hood at some of the big six programs including some of the savings made by stopping the Morrison era rorts.

With inflation getting above 7% the need to "slay the dragon", as it was put at the national press club, has never been greater.  This budget starts the battle in earnest and changes to workplace laws will be the part that gets wages moving again.  Van and Ben discuss why workers need to be in unions now more than ever as the profiteers try to shift the blame for inflation onto workers.  Join at australianunions.org.au/wow

Tony Burke will introduce new Secure Work Better Pay laws in the budget week.  Van and Ben discuss why these new laws are needed, how they reflect best practice around the world and how big business lobby groups will try to scare people about them.

SPOILER: They will lift the pay packets of workers in Australia.

Meanwhile in the formerly Great Britain Rishi Sunak has become the third Tory Prime Minister in three months.  Van and Ben discuss how this billionaire, who brags of having no working class friends, came to power and what might happen in the next season of "Britain's got Chaos"

The good news is about electric vehicle batteries!

And Van reads out our Cadre and Extend the Reach supporters who have become contributors at www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday