Wake Up Australia

Jason Falinski MP, Liberal member for Mackellar & Chair of Standing Committee on Tax and Revenue, who says who says he would welcome a nearly five per cent drop in politician taxpayer-funded superannuation payments after Australia's biggest super fund lobby described 13 Coalition MPs as hypocritical for opposing a rise in the super guarantee.

Currently MPs receive 15.4 per cent of their salary in superannuation.

The attacks on the Coalition MPs represents a step up in pressure from Industry Super to stop the government from reneging on the legislated increase from 9.5 per cent to 12 percent by 2025 after a week of speculation about the future of the rise.

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Michael is joined by Adam Marshall, Minister for Agriculture & Western New South Wales / Nationals member for Northern Tablelands, who yesterday announced the launch of the ‘Help Harvest NSW’, which will connect unemployed Australians with farm work opportunities across the State as part of the NSW Government’s COVID Recovery Plan.

Farmers will be able to capitalise on what is predicted to be the best harvest in many years, with the new one-stop resource which will help the agriculture industry overcome a COVID-induced labour shortage and get unemployed Australians into critical work.

Mr Marshall says, “the Help Harvest NSW website will help to overcome this challenge by connecting job-seeking Australians with agricultural work opportunities in NSW.”

“I want to see more Aussies climb off the couch and get out into the regions where there’s plenty of good paying work on until the end of the year.”

“At a time when we are just beginning to emerge from drought, our State’s farmers cannot afford to miss out on the financial uplift that comes from a strong harvest.”

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Michael is joined by Eva Scheerlinck, Chief executive of the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees, who says that barely a week goes by without a commentator suggesting that Australians should be allowed to tap into mandatory super savings to buy their first home.

Aside from the many flaws in this proposal – including that it does nothing to address the root cause of Australia’s housing affordability problem (which is lack of supply) and could actually inflate house prices in much the same way that previous first home-owner grants have been shown to do – Australians shouldn’t have to choose between financial security in retirement and a roof over their heads, says Ms Scheerlinck.

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Michael is joined by Nick Kaldas, former NSW deputy police commissioner, to discuss his view on the Tribunal verdict on the assassination of Lebanon Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, which occurred on 14 February 2005, when explosives equivalent to around 1,800 kilograms of TNT concealed inside a parked Mitsubishi van were detonated as his motorcade drove near the St. George Hotel in Beirut.

Mr Kaldas, who was seconded to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in 2009, says the verdict is disappointing in many ways, but there are positives.

He writes, ‘of the four accused of murdering Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, one was been found guilty, and three found not guilty.’

‘This investigation and the tribunal itself were historic. It has been the first serious attempt to hold to account those who killed within a cult of impunity in Lebanon.’

‘Moreover, the conviction of a lead individual, who is clearly a Hezbollah operative, was achieved against all the odds and has enormous significance for Lebanon and the Middle East.’

‘One hopes the verdict brings some comfort to the victims’ loved ones, incomplete though it is.’

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Luke Grant has the weekly chat with Sue Dodd from the Sydney Markets about what bargains are on offer at your local greengrocer this week.

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Michael is joined by Mark Latham, political commentator, former leader of the Australian Labor Party, One Nation state leader in the upper house, who hopes to repeal the state ban on uranium mining and nuclear facilities.

 

Finally some common sense have been getting into the debate in NSW as emerging nuclear technologies have benefitted from reactor safety & design advancement which are significantly lower risk than those earlier employed.

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Listen to the full show podcast with Michael McLaren

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the full show podcast with Michael McLaren

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.