Wake Up Australia

Listen to Wake Up Australia with Michael McLaren, the Full Show Podcast here.

Michael is joined by Clive Hamilton, Professor of Public Ethics at the Centre for Applied Philosophy & Public Ethics, to discuss former prime minister Paul Keating’s suggestion to sack Australia’s spy chiefs to fix relations with Beijing.

Speaking at Labor’s campaign launch, Mr Keating launched a scathing attack on Australia’s spy agency leaders proclaiming them “nutters”.

He also urged Bill Shorten to sack them to improve relations with China if he were to win the upcoming election.

For the anniversary of the founding of the ACTU, Michael speaks to union historian Professor Bradley Bowden from the Department of Employment Relations & Human Resource Management at Griffith Business School.

The ACTU was formed in 1927 and was one of the earliest attempts by trade unions to apply the principles of One Big Union earlier explored by more radical syndicalist unions like the CNT or revolutionary industrial unions like the IWW.

The ACTU has not achieved the ideals expressed for One Big Union: it remains a council organisation, but it does however represent the majority of Australian trade unions.

At its formation in 1927 the ACTU was only seen as representing blue collar trades unions, and only managed to achieve the support of trades unions.

Listen to Wake Up Australia with Michael McLaren, the Full Show Podcast here.

Rugby Australia wants to sack Israel Folau, who is devoutly Christian, over his social media post that included “hell awaits” gay people with the matter to be heard at a code of conduct hearing tomorrow.

Michael is joined by Nicholas Marouchak, director of MKI Legal to discuss the correct approach an employer should take. 

On one hand, it’s unlawful to discriminate against someone based on their sexual orientation with Folau’s post clearly offensive to members of the LGBTI community.

On the other hand, it’s unlawful to dismiss an employee because of their genuinely held religious belief.

Listen to Wake Up Australia with Michael McLaren, the Full Show Podcast here.

Michael is joined by The Australian’s senior sport writer Wayne Smith who has been following the ongoing Israel Folau saga.

Smith wrote yesterday warning “It has become apparent that a number of Wallabies — how many precisely no one is sure — could make themselves unavailable for selection if Folau somehow comes through this weekend’s Code of Conduct tribunal with his contract intact”.

“It has nothing to do with freedom of speech, freedom of religion or the rights of an employer to make demands of an employee in exchange for the money they pay him, which in Folau’s case is $4 million over four years”.

“Such freedoms matter dearly to people, which explains why the debate about Folau’s actions in urging sinners to turn to God has raged with such intensity from the moment he first posted his warning on April 10”.

Listen to Wake Up Australia with Michael McLaren, the Full Show Podcast here.

Terry McCrann, business commentator with The Australian joins Michael to discuss the impact of Labor's childcare salary boost plus their admission that they can't cost their climate policy.

With tomorrow marking the date 500 years ago that Leonardo da Vinci died aged 67, Michael talks to Tom Rizzo, Director of Travelling Exhibitions - Da Vinci Promotions representing the Museum of Leonardo da Vinci, to look into the life of perhaps the most extraordinary mind of all time who epitomised the Renaissance humanist ideal.

The Italian polymath of the Renaissance whose areas of interest included invention, drawing, painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music, mathematics, engineering, literature, anatomy, geology, astronomy, botany, writing, history & cartography has been variously called the father of palaeontology, ichnology and architecture.

He is widely considered one of the greatest painters of all time and sometimes times credited with the inventions of the parachute, helicopter and the tank.

The "Da Vinci Machines" exhibition is currently in Albury until June 23rd and is seeking future host venues around regional Australia.   www.artisansofflorence.com