Episode 158: Tasmanian election lessons, narrative wars, its the economy and good news about airships

Baby, we are BACK! Van and Ben return after a super frustrating
hiatus to discuss the issues of the day in their inimitable
style. 


The recent Tasmanian election has thrown up a complex and divided
result, delivering more crossbenchers to the parliament than
opposition members, and the Liberals forming minority government
with nothing to guarantee the passage of legislation but wild
hope. Ben and Van discuss this in the context of Tasmania’s
unusual electoral system and the politics of independent
representation more broadly.


The analysis continues as Ben breaks down the ongoing good news
about the Australian economy, with the unsurprising if excellent
news that union members are seeing significant pay increases as
the result of the newly legislated frameworks for improved
collective bargaining. (If you want in, join your union right now
via www.australianunions.org.au/wow  


Ben peeling back the obfuscations of the Liberals and works
through why Labor’s successes aren’t more broadly known. The
distraction politics of Peter Dutton and the Amazing Modular
Nuclear Reactors That Don’t Actually Exist is placed in the
context it so duly deserves. 


Finally, the good news is about airships. This is at least the
third time this show has celebrated airship initiatives, as Van
is obviously obsessed with them, everyone should Be, they are the
jewels of the air and the future of all humanity! (It is possible
that Van wrote this).


We’d like to thank all of our listeners for their continued
support and solidarity with us over this period of Ben’s illness.
It means more to this household than you could possibly
know.  You can become a supporter and leave us a message at
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/weekonwednesday