Rights, Rorts and Rants

BMUC member Peter Lammiman discusses the Brazilian election results and the referendum on a new Chilean Constitution with Dr Rodrigo Acuña Dr Rodrigo Acuña is a teacher, writer and expert on Latin American politics. He has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Politics and International Relations and Spanish/Latin American Studies from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, as well as a Diploma i...

George Mann (US) is a songwriter's singer who would just as soon share stories and songs from the long history of folk music as sing his own songs. His concerts are singalong sessions as well as history lessons. He will be playing at the Katoomba Family Hotel on 20th October 2022 and we thank the Family for their generous sponsorship of this event. Profits go to Blue Mountains Unions & Communi...

In this episode Fran Dyson talks to Professor Simon Penny (University of California, Irvine) about the myth of recycling, greenwashing  and the need to take a radically different approach to consumerism and waste by maintaining what you have, and repurposing tools and materials instead of putting them in landfill. This episode was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM on 16...

In this episode Fran Dyson interviews Professor Simon Penny from the University of California at Irvine about the dire state of Colorado River, the impacts of climate change, and the political and economic forces shaping California's sustainability. This episode was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM on 16/9/2022. Rights, Rorts and Rants is broadcast from 4pm to 6pm...

With the Albanese government announcing a Royal Commission into Robodebt, and the class action against it about to be settled, Deb Smith puts the pieces together with this analysis of the history of the data matching program which compares tax data against social security records, and its corruption by the "robodebt" policy. What do we already know about what went wrong and what will an...

How could  former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison give himself sweeping autocratic powers by secretly appointing himself Minister of five portfolios? Mike Holland examines his actions, how our government is supposed to work, and the threat posed to our democracy by the increasing use of Henry VIII proclamation laws to avoid scrutiny and accountability. If you'd like to add to the dis...

This interview between Fran Dyson and Jordan Shanks was recorded during a break between two sessions of his show " A Tale as Old as Rome" at the Baroque Room, Katoomba, 26/5/2022, so we apologise for the music and noise in the background. Many thanks to Jordan for being so generous with his time. This episode was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM on 17/6/2022. Rights, Rorts and Rants...

In this episode the programs legal expert Mike Holland, discusses the Coalitions new dam projects announced during the federal election campaign and the complete lack of any economic or environmental grounds for these mega projects. This episode was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM on 29/4/2022. Rights, Rorts and Rants is broadcast from 4pm to 6pm on 89.1FM or can be live streamed fr...

Journalists Matt Peacock and Nick Franklin discuss the media campaigns of the major parties in the run up to the 2022 election, and in broader terms, the future of the Murdoch press. This episode was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM on 29/4/2022. Rights, Rorts and Rants is broadcast from 4pm to 6pm on 89.1FM or can be live streamed from rbm.org.au . If you'd like to add to the discus...

This episode was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM on 29/4/2022. Rights, Rorts and Rants is broadcast from 4pm to 6pm on 89.1FM or can be live streamed from rbm.org.au . If you'd like to add to the discussion, you can leave an audio comment about our show, which may be added to one of our podcasts..Apply to be a guest on our show . Join BMUC . Join a union - 1300 486 466 or join onlin...

Award winning investigative journalist Andrew Fowler discusses Assange's extradition orders and Australia's response close to the 2022 election. This episode was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM on 29/4/2022. Rights, Rorts and Rants is broadcast from 4pm to 6pm on 89.1FM or can be live streamed from rbm.org.au . If you'd like to add to the discussion, you can leave an audio comment a...

Susan Templeman, Member for Macquarie and ALP candidate for the 2022 Federal election answers questions posed by Nick Franklin. Susan is also a member of BMUC. This episode was recorded via Zoom on 22/4/2022 and first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM on 22/4/2022. Rights, Rorts and Rants is broadcast from 4pm to 6pm on 89.1FM or can be live streamed from rbm.org.au . If you'd like to add t...

Michael Tull, Assistant Secretary of the CPSU (Community and Public Sector Union) and Deb Smith discuss the effects of privatisation, consultancies and labour hire on the workers in the Public Service and the adverse flow on effects to Australian citizens - cuts to services, lower standards of service and policy development which prioritises profit over community benefit. This episode was recorded...

Rail workers have been taking limited industrial action to win better safety and services but "Today’s rail chaos is the result of the NSW Government’s decision to shut the train network to make a point, and not the action of the state’s rail workers, the Rail, Tram and Bus Union says." "Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) NSW Secretary, Alex Claassens, said workers turned up to work this morning prep...

This episode features  an edited version of the recent Airwatch zoom meeting,  presented by Blue Mountains Unions Council and the Blue Mountains Environment Sustainability Network, to discuss the ongoing campaign of the Lithgow and Blue Mountains AirWatch.  The meeting focuses on the quality of the air we breathe, and  presents new evidence showing that when the air becomes pol...

In this episode our legal expert Mike Holland discusses the new generations fund,  set up by Dominic Perrottet purportedly  to find new infrastructure projects and pay down the NSW state debt.  However as Mike explains,  the fund has done neither,  and is instead is being used to invest in high risk ventures on the stock market.  As Perrottet  gambles w...

In this episode Nick Franklin discusses the importance of Palmer's UAP  in the upcoming Federal Election, pointing  to its membership  (of allegedly over 70,000)  as a possible key factor in  directing preferences to the LNP.  With its platform of 'freedom", the UAP may hope to win the allegiance of disaffected voters coming out of harsh lockdowns and now facing vacci...

In this episode Nick Franklin and Fran Dyson talk to independent candidate for the upcoming Blue Mountains City Council elections, Daniel Miles, about why he left the Liberal party, 'his views on development, employment, job security, air monitors and what he sees are the biggest challenges facing both residents of the Blue Mountains and their environment. This episode was first broadcast on Radio...

In this episode Nick Franklin and Fran Dyson talk to Labour candidate for the upcoming Blue Mountains City Council elections, Ward 2, Romola Hollywood about her views on development, employment, job security, air monitors and what she sees are the biggest challenges facing both residents of the Blue Mountains and their environment. This episode was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM on...

In this episode Nick Franklin talks to  independent candidate for the upcoming Blue Mountains City Council  elections, Chris Van der Kley,  about why he left the Liberal party, 'his views on development,  employment, job security, air monitors and what he sees are the biggest challenges facing  both residents of the Blue Mountains and their environment. This episode was fi...

In this episode our legal expert Mike Holland talks to presenter Fran Dyson about the Transport Assets Holding Entity (TAHE), which was established by the then  Treasurer Dominic Perrottet,  as a way of hiding the costs  incurred by New South Wales  public transport system and thereby boosting the budget bottom line,  and relatedly - how the "New Generation  Fund" - &...

 In the the second part of our program on domestic violence and  women's financial (in)security, Deb Smith  talks about "Destroy the Joint" -  a feminist  group committed to collecting and publishing data on domestic violence in Australia. Deb discusses the  naming and origins of the group,  the kinds of data they collect for their "Counting Dead Women" Facebook...

In this episode Dr Evelyne Mier talks to Fran Dyson about  her project "Fearless Finance",  aimed at empowering women to take control of their finances by understanding their relationship to money and  the systemic inequalities which leave many women in poverty. This episode was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM on 8/10/2021. Rights, Rorts and Rants is broadcast from 4p...

National Secretary of the Australian Workers' Union, Daniel Walton, talks to Deb Smith about what can be done about skills shortages and why the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) proposal to increase temporary migration is short sighted. If you'd like to add to the discussion, you can leave an audio comment about our show , which may be added to one of our podcasts. This episode w...

The Air Watch team of Blue Mountains Unions & Community  wants you to know about their campaign to reinstall air pollution monitors with publicly available data in almost real time across the Blue Mountains and Lithgow communities. Our event is one of the Blue Mountains Environmental Sustainability Network 's "Let’s Showcase What We Are Doing, Even During Lockdown" online events. In...