Squiz Today – 29 May 2024

The Squiz 

Fashion house Country Road Group is under pressure over complaints of a toxic work culture that surfaced on Monday. That includes allegations of sexual harassment and bullying against senior executives, and reports say affected staff reckon their allegations weren’t taken seriously. The group oversees some well-known clothing brands, including Country Road, Trenery, Mimco, Witchery and Politix. 

How did it come to this?

We’ll start in March when Roy Bagattini – the chief executive of South African business Woolworths Holdings (aka the retail group’s parent company) – visited Country Road’s head office in Melbourne. There, he heard complaints about unwanted touching of female staff, bullying and racism, and following the reports of employees feeling unsafe, a review was launched. Bagattini was back in contact with staff yesterday with an email telling them not to comment to the media on the allegations after they were leaked to the press earlier this week. A spokesperson for the company says the outcomes of the investigation will be shared with team members next month and that it’s “critically important” workers “feel safe, valued and included”.

There’s been a bit of this around recently…

Yep. Yesterday we talked about the alleged inappropriate behaviour of Nine’s news boss Darren Wick, and it has now come out that a second senior manager at the company has also resigned in similar circumstances. Adrian Foo was the publicity boss of Nine’s streaming service, Stan, and reports say he left after at least 5 people made allegations of bullying and inappropriate physical contact. That led to an investigation, but Foo was gone before it wrapped up. And it’s not just private businesses… Rob Stefanic, the boss of the federal Department of Parliamentary Services, is under scrutiny following allegations he promoted a woman he was romantically involved with to a highly-paid senior role and oversaw a “toxic” working environment. Stefanic denies he was romantically involved with the woman while he was her boss.

Dismissing international pressure

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says he won’t back down from the war against Hamas in Gaza as global leaders condemn the strikes and resulting fires which killed at least 45 people in a camp for displaced Palestinians on Sunday. Reports say hundreds of other civilians were treated for severe burns and other injuries. Despite the “tragic mishap”, Netanyahu said he has no intention “to end the war before every goal has been achieved”. But as Israeli tanks enter central Rafah, his allies aren’t happy… The US has doubled down on its warning for Israel to “take every precaution possible to protect civilians” and launched a review of the incident to see if it crossed President Joe Biden’s “red line”. And Oz’s Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong yesterday called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, saying “We reiterate to the government of Israel: This cannot continue”.

Giles is in the hot seat

If you’ve been hearing about something called ‘direction 99’, let us shed some light… It’s to do with the restoration of visas for non-Australian citizens convicted of serious crimes – including several child rapists. Immigration Minister Andrew Giles is under fire for it, after visas cancelled by his department were overturned by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) late last week. In its decision, the AAT referred to ministerial direction 99 – which Giles signed off on in early 2023. It allows criminals to avoid deportation if they have strong enough ties to Australia. Reports today say Giles was warned the ruling could result in 25% of cases being overturned, but when at least 30 legal challenges arose, they were kept from him by the Department of Home Affairs. Giles has since cancelled at least one visa of a man accused of murder and he says he’ll urgently review other recent cases.

The focus turns to police

The daughter of Mark Bombara (the man who murdered Jennifer and Gretl Petelczyc in their Perth home in Floreat last Friday) says she and her mother were “repeatedly ignored, repeatedly failed” by police in the lead-up to the shooting. Ariel Bombara said she contacted police on 3 occasions about the threat her father posed and to warn them one of his handguns was missing. “I did everything I could to protect my mother,” she said. She also claims police wouldn’t issue a temporary protective order. In response, Western Oz’s Police Commissioner Col Blanch has announced an internal investigation to identify “anything that we can do to improve the way we police going forward”. Meanwhile, an expert panel’s “rapid review” into how to prevent violence against women began yesterday – it will hand down its report later this year.

Calling Marge…

If you’re in a corner of the country that’s been basking in sunny autumn weather, just know that the rains are ‘ere… The Bureau of Meteorology says a “northwest cloud band” will bring rain to more than 80% of the country over the next week. You can get into the science of it here, but to summarise – the weather system means cloud cover will stretch from northwest to southeast Oz, often bringing with it soaking rain. The cloud bands have been MIA this season, and it’s been especially felt in parts of Western Oz and South Oz… Before this forecast came in, they were headed for their driest autumns on record. As for when the rain will arrive, after hitting the west coast yesterday, it will move over the south and Northern Territory today and into the eastern states from tomorrow.

Trot out the tights

If our recent spate of advice about the latest denim trends doesn’t do it for you, perhaps you’d rather get your legs out in some snazzy tights… A range of colourful hosiery has been on display on some of the world’s hottest runways, with sexy stockings and knee-high socks also getting a good run. It’s the perfect solution for those who prefer to show off their pins in the cooler weather via some snazzy skirts/shorts… And you can get as demure or wild as you like, with Viktoria & Woods, Liandra Swim and PE Nation all styling the trend in different ways – so there’s something for everyone from bright red to pale mauve, florals, green and, of course, black. Time to get a step ahead… 

Congrats to Perth man Dylan Twiss, who’s been crowned a cheesy champ after narrowly beating a British man – dressed in a gorilla costume, no less – in one of the Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling Festival races. His message to mates back home? “Fellas, I told you I’d win it”.

American Airlines has paid tribute to its longest-serving flight attendant, Bette Nash, who has died at 88yo. Nash held a Guinness World Record for her stint in the skies after she began flying in 1957. “Fly high, Bette,” the airline says.

South Park’s probably not best known for helping with positive PR, but singer Lizzo isn’t complaining… She’s the most recent celebrity featured on the long-running cartoon series – and in the ultimate clap back, she says she’s happy that it depicts how she’s “showed the world how to love yourself”.

8.00am -10.00am (AEST) – Industrial action to affect trams on the L1, L2 and L3 lines in Sydney (and then again from 4.00pm – 6.00pm)

11.30am (AEST) – Health advocates Matt Noffs and John Mendoza will address the National Press Club on youth crime and ‘The Fight for the Future’ – Canberra

12.00pm (AEST) – NSW Premier Chris Minns’ State of the State address – Sydney

12.00pm (AEST) – Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Organising Committee CEO Cindy Hook will address the QUT Business Leaders’ Forum – Brisbane

ABS Data Release – Monthly Consumer Price Index indicator, April; Construction Work Done, March 

South African election

International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers 

World Digestive Health Day 

World Otter Day 

Birthdays for Noel Gallagher (1967), Myf Warhurst (1974), Mel B (1975), Laverne Cox (1984)

Anniversary of :

• the birthday of former US President John F Kennedy (1917)
• Kiwi mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay becoming the first people confirmed to reach the summit of Mount Everest (1953)
• Space Shuttle Discovery completing the first docking with the International Space Station (1999)
• transgender health issues no longer being classified as mental and behavioural disorders by the World Health Organization (2017)
• WA premier Premier Mark McGowan resigning after more than 6 years in the top job (2023)
• David Koch announcing his resignation from Channel 7’s Sunrise show after 21 years of 3am starts (2023)

Thursday
12.30am (AEST) – Hockey: Women’s FIH Pro League – Belgium v Australia – Belgium

3.00am (AEST) – Hockey: Men’s FIH Pro League – Belgium v Australia – Belgium