Q+A S2023E20 - War, Wages and Workers' Rights

This week on Q+A, more pain for households after the Reserve Bank delivered a 12th rate hike in just over a year – taking interest rates to their highest level in 11 years. The bank's governor admits many families will suffer a "painful squeeze", but insists inflation has to be tamed. Just how much more can households bear? And is the cure worse than the disease?

Much of the blame for stubbornly high inflation is being slated home to the lowest-paid workers, after the Fair Work Commission announced an increase in the minimum wage from next month. But according to the OECD, the main culprit is corporate super-profits. Are the most vulnerable paying the price for an unfair system?

Meanwhile, the fallout from the incendiary judgement against Australia's most decorated living soldier Ben Roberts-Smith continues. Should the VC recipient – labelled in court as a liar, murderer and bully – be ordered to hand back his honour? What do his actions in the field mean for diggers at home and serving overseas? Is this case damaging the reputation of our elite soldiers?

And parliament returns for another sitting fortnight as the government's "same job, same pay" workplace law changes are emerging as 2023's big industrial relations brawl. The new laws – designed to ensure labour hire workers are paid the same as employees doing the same job – are being debated as the future housing fund bill nears agreement. Is Labor facing a rough ride for the rest of the year?

Joining Patricia Karvelas on the panel live in Sydney:
 
Sally McManus, ACTU Secretary 
Stephen Jones, Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services
Keith Wolahan, Liberal member for Menzies 
Thenu Herath, Human Rights Advocate 
Michael Ware, Sky News US contributor