Coming Up: Monday June 12, 2023  Q and A   



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?

Q+A is live from Sydney on Monday, June 12 at 9.35pm AEST.



On the Panel

Sally McManus   
Secretary, ACTU

Sally is the tenth elected ACTU Secretary in the organisation's 90-year history and the first woman to hold the position.


Stephen Jones
Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services

Stephen Jones has represented the Illawarra-based seat of Whitlam (previously Throsby) for Labor since 2010.


Keith Wolahan
Liberal Member for Menzies

Keith Wolahan MP is the Federal Member for Menzies, having been elected on 21 May 2022. Keith has worked as a lawyer and served in the Australian Army. Keith serves on several committees, including the House Economics Committee and was the coalition lead on the Joint Select Committee into the National Anti Corruption Commission (NACC).


Thenu Herath
Human Rights Advocate
Thenu is an advocate for human rights and global justice. The proud daughter of Sri Lankan immigrants, she firmly believes that everyone should have an equitable chance to reach their potential, no matter where they are born.


Michael Ware
Sky News US Contributor
Michael has covered a number of conflict zones around the world including Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Mexico. Michael last reported for CNN in December, 2009.
His first feature- length documentary Only the Dead was released in 2015 on HBO . The film was nominated in the documentary category at the 2017 International Emmy Awards.