Wake Up Australia

Listen to the full show podcast with Michael Mclaren

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Michael is joined by Darren Greenfield’ NSW Secretary of the CFMEU's Construction Branch, who have announced a green ban over two heritage buildings slated for demolition to make way for the new Powerhouse Museum at Parramatta, and called on contractors to abide by it.

 

"These green bans mean no work can be done to destroy these historically significant sites," Mr Greenfield said.

 

"We hope the Government listens to the people of this community, which are many, that are against the destruction of these buildings.

 

"We will be here standing in defence of these buildings for whatever it takes into the future."

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Meg Lees, Former Democrats leader, joins Michael on the 20th Anniversary of the GST which was introduced in Australia on 1 July 2000 by the then Liberal government.

 

In 1999, Prime Minister John Howard proposed the idea of a Goods & Services Tax. It was opposed by the Labor Party, the Australian Greens and independent Senator Brian Harradine, which meant that it required Democrat support to pass.

 

The Democrats campaigned with the slogan "No GST on food" with a majority of their senators agreeing to pass the bill if some amendments were made… mostly to exclude fresh food and essential items such as basic medicines.

 

Natasha Stott Despoja stated that she was unhappy with the outcome, particularly the GST on books. Both Stott Despoja and Queensland Senator Andrew Bartlett ultimately crossed the floor to vote against the GST package.

 

A significant number of Democrat members remained unhappy with the GST deal and began to agitate for a change in leadership. Under the Democrat constitution, a petition of 100 members can trigger a leadership ballot of all the members.

 

 

On the initial ballot, Ms Lees was returned unchallenged though subsequently the Democrats faced a decline in the polls which, by April 2001, indicated that several senators would lose their seats at the elections due for later that year.

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Listen to the full show podcast with Michael McLaren

See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Michael is joined by Chris Richardson, Deloitte Access Economics Partner, who writes ‘the COVID-19 crisis had exposed the inadequacy and unfairness of the previous JobSeeker rate. 

 

He describes it as Australia's "weakest link" and praises the government's rapid move to double the payment saying a permanently increased rate would not only help the most vulnerable but also provide effective economic stimulus, especially in the poorest regions.

 

"Our safety net was not where it needed to be for the massive heavy lifting and helping Australian society through this crisis," he said.

 

"JobSeeker always had a vital role to play as the vital safety net. If everything else fails, it's there. If you want to give people confidence in this crisis – and that's what the Reserve Bank keeps talking about – then I wouldn't drop immediately from the doubling to whatever it ends up being," Mr Richardson warns.

Listen to the full show full show podcast with Michael Mclaren

Michael is joined by John McDonald, Art critic & columnist with the Sydney Morning Herald, who writes that the plan for the ‘New Powerhouse' reveals utterly inadequate facilities for displaying works of artistic and historical value.

 

‘It will have only 25 per cent of the display area of the existing museum, and will not meet the necessary minimum thresholds to allow for loans from overseas institutions.’

 

‘There will be retail areas, 10 cafes and bars, but no collection storage, no conservation laboratory and only a single loading dock.  The idea of “flexible” exhibition spaces means display areas will have to double up as party venues, severely limiting the kind of items that may be shown.’

 

‘The new Powerhouse in Parramatta is set to be an embarrassing example of worst practice by international museum standards. Ironically the current Powerhouse would not loan valuable pieces from their collection to any institution so poorly equipped.’

Michael is joined by Rex Patrick, Senator for South Australia – Centre Alliance, who has long been calling for a broad ranging inquiry into Australia’s relationship with China, but found his proposal blocked on five occasions over 18 months by the Coalition government & Labor opposition having combined forces. 

 

The Victorian government’s surprise engagement with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, China’s growing influence in Australia’s immediate sphere of strategic interest, Chinese investments and acquisitions in key sectors of the Australian economy, to serious allegations of Chinese government interference in Australian politics – have all demonstrated the need for the Australian Parliament to take a deep dive into the dynamics of Australia-China relations.

Listen to the full show full show podcast with Michael Mclaren

Michael is joined by Neil Hansford, Aviation Expert & Chairman of Strategic Aviation Solutions, regarding Qantas announcing the shedding at least 6,000 jobs across all parts of the business as part of its long-term response to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Chief executive Alan Joyce said yesterday that at least 6,000 workers will be sacked, as well as standing down a further 15,000 without pay as long as international travel bans remain in place.

 

Qantas will permanently retire its remaining six Boeing 747 aircraft six months ahead of schedule and defer deliveries of new Airbus A321neo & Boeing 787-9 aircraft.