THE SQUIZ
PM Anthony Albanese came under pressure yesterday over the declaration of a national day of mourning for Queen Elizabeth. The Australian Retailers Association says businesses are frustrated by the short notice for the Thursday, 22 September public holiday – it wants urgent clarification about trading hours as they juggle staff shortages. And hospitality businesses are whipping out their calculators to do a cost/benefit analysis of whether it’s better to remain open and pay staff penalty rates or close and lose a day’s trading. The Australian Medical Association has also been critical, saying it will force hospitals and doctors to cancel crucial surgeries and appointments. Albanese rejected that claim saying the “idea that operations don’t occur during a public holiday is of course not correct.”

OK, BUT EVERYONE ELSE IS PLEASED, RIGHT?
Well, if you’re in Victoria, you’re probably ecstatic… That’s because Friday the 23rd is the Grand Final Eve public holiday, meaning they will enjoy a 4-day weekend. But taking the day before off is problematic for the State Parliament, as next Thursday was due to be the final sitting day before the election in November. And it’s not just Victorian politicians re-arranging their diaries… Federal Parliament was cancelled this week, but pollies will attend a special service on Thursday next week, and a motion of condolence will be moved the next day, giving every MP and senator a chance to speak about the death of Queen Elizabeth… The week after, Parliament will resume, but it’s complicated for PM Albanese… He is heading to Tokyo to attend another state funeral – this time for former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe.

AND WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY?
The Scots are paying their respects with the Queen’s coffin lying in rest in St Giles’ Cathedral, and King Charles and his 3 siblings will hold a vigil for their late mother with each standing by a corner of her coffin. Tomorrow, the Queen’s coffin will be flown to London and taken to Buckingham Palace. And there will be more wrangling over the Queen’s funeral with its max capacity of about 2,000 attendees. Nations have been urged to fly their single senior representative on commercial flights over using private jets. As for the service, they will be bussed to Westminster Abbey from a site in west London. Unless you’re Australia, of course… PM Albanese and David Hurley get to take the government jet and take their partners and acting UK High Commissioner Lynette Wood to the funeral. Ten other Aussies will also be invited – 8 from the states/territories plus tennis legend Dylan Alcott and racehorse trainer Chris Waller.