March 29, 2023

Episode 128 Inflation slows, workers call for wages and just transition, Aston byelection, Liberal MPs injure worker and good news about Skinks!

1 hour 4 minutes

Van Badham and Ben Davison discuss what the latest inflation figures might mean for working people when the high priests of neo-liberal monetary policy at the Reserve Bank meet again. Van and Ben discuss how the bosses lobby groups think they can argue the RBA needs to raise interest rates to create more unemployment but also not that the Fair Work Commission shouldn't raise minimum wages because it would cause unemployment. Ultimately they're just fronting for more profits. Which is why unions are arguing for a wage rise that keeps up with the cost of living. You can join you unions at australianunions.org.au/wow

As well as calling for wage rises the President of the ACTU, Michele O'Neil, gave a national press club speech this week calling for the establishment of a Just Transition Authority. Van and Ben discuss why Australia needs coordinated action on climate change and how, without such a tri-partite body, it isn't anyone's job to make sure that the economic transition is just, equitable or orderly.

Saturday is the first by-election since the 2022 federal election with Labor's Mary Doyle up against the Liberal Roshena from Brunswick in the seat of Aston (which is about an hours tram & bus ride from Brunswick). Today's revelations about the Liberal candidate's policy hypocrisy have people thinking Labor is in with a chance, even though it would be a historic victory for a sitting government to win a seat from the opposition at a by-election.

Of course, Van and Ben couldn't ignore the behaviour of six member's of Peter Dutton's caucus, including three members of his front bench, who injured a parliament house worker while trying to avoid casting their votes in the house of representatives. Ben and Van discuss why this sort of thing has happened, how it not only breaks parliamentary rules but also the fundamental rule; No worker should ever be injured at work.

The podcast does have some good news about the Desert Skink which Ben explains after Van acknowledges our Cadre and Extend the Reach supporters who are chipping in monthly contributions via www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday

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