Squiz Today – Monday, 17 September

SQUIZ SAYINGS

“I’m relieved in many ways it’s over and done with.”

Said one mum of the end of Coles’ Little Shop collectable craze. While many are frantically trying to complete their set via Facebook groups and meet-ups with strangers on street corners, others are starting to wonder what cupboard their collection will be forgotten in…

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LOOKING AFTER THE OLDIES

THE SQUIZ
After a number of cases of abuse and neglect in the aged care sector, PM Scott Morrison has announced a Royal Commission to look into the quality of care. Morrison yesterday said that while government funding would reach a record $18.6 billion for the last financial year, and there were thousands of people involved in the sector that work hard to care for senior Australians, the government and community need to know how widespread the failures are and what can be done to prevent them. The Commission will also look into the care of younger Australians with disabilities living in aged care facilities.

BACK IT UP A BIT…
About 1.3 million Aussies live in aged care homes, and there has been a spotlight on the sector over the last year.

• Systemic abuse in Adelaide’s Oakden aged care facility saw it closed a year ago. Since then, Melbourne’s Allambee Nursing Home was likened to Guantanamo Bay, and an aged care worker was charged after allegedly assaulting an elderly man at a facility on Sydney's northern beaches this month.

• Hoping to address the bulk of the problems, the Turnbull Government announced a new safety watchdog, roving response units, and an aged care facility rating website in April.

• But new government data shows a 177% jump in the number of risky aged-care homes and a 292% jump in the number of facilities refusing to comply with rules last financial year.

WHY A ROYAL COMMISSION?
Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt was yesterday forced to answer that question because just last month he said the cost of holding a Commission would be better spent on frontline services. He says he’s changed his mind. Labor leader Bill Shorten yesterday said his team was supportive but wants to government to get cracking on the things that need to be done now. Some pundits said the timing of Morrison's announcement could be about an ABC Four Corners investigation into aged care starting tonight. Whatever the reason, the community and industry will get to have its say on the terms of reference in coming weeks.

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SQUIZ THE REST

CYCLONIC WEATHER WATCH
The Philippines and Hong Kong copped the force of Typhoon Mangkhut over the weekend. At least 64 lives were lost after winds of more than 200km/hour and severe flooding and landslides ripped through the north of the Philippines. Sea surges of more than four metres were reported in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour. China’s Guangdong province is now under assault. Some pics are here.

And in the US, at least 14 have died as a result of the winds and rain from Hurricane Florence. Now categorised as a tropical depression, the affected areas around the Carolinas are now expecting bad floods. Pics here. Meanwhile, this guy was caught out for some fake news…

PARTY GONE WRONG
Two young dance party-goers died, and three were critically ill from drug overdoses taken at a Western Sydney music festival on Saturday. Police said 700 of the 30,000 people attending the Defqon.1 event sought medical attention, and that they needed the toxicology results to identify the substances involved. Premier Gladys Berejiklian yesterday said; "We will do everything we can to shut this down, I don't want to see this event happen again."

MANAFORT ROLLS ON TRUMP
Former campaign chairman for US President Donald Trump/dodgy dealmaker Paul Manafort has agreed to cooperate with special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. Manafort had been praised by Trump for holding firm while he was tried and convicted for financial crimes relating to his Ukrainian political work, but that is set to change. What Manafort will tell investigators is not clear, but it’s expected he has insights into whether Team Trump coordinated with Russia in the 2016 presidential campaign. Pundits say it could also mean the investigation isn’t winding up anytime soon.

BERRY CRAZY TIMES
More than 10 cases of pins, needles and metallic rods in punnets of supermarket-bought strawberries have been reported since mid-last week – five in NSW, the rest in Queensland, SA and Victoria. The Queensland government announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to the person responsible for the initial attack. Coles and Aldi have pulled strawberries from all stores except in WA. And Woolies has withdrawn the brands of berries that have been contaminated. We've said it before, and we'll say it again – those poor growers…

DROPPING THE DAILY ASPIRIN HABIT
Healthy older people taking a daily aspirin hit to lower their risk of stroke or heart attack can probably stop. Researchers have found there is no evidence that it does any good, and in fact, it can have some serious side-effects like weakening blood vessels. But as they say in the classics, consult your doctor.

QUICK SPORTS NEWS WRAP
How about those footy finals? Didn’t see a game? No problem. Get your talking points here.

Meanwhile, after Australia’s losing effort in the rugby against Argentina, Wallaby Lukhan Tui was involved in an ugly scuffle with a fan. Reports say the man was swearing around Tui’s family, had pushed his sister and yelled at Tui to “play with some heart”. Coach Michael Cheika yesterday said Tui’s stepfather died last week and he was going to have some time off.

Lleyton Hewitt has stepped out of retirement more times than John Farnham… He helped Australia keep its Davis Cup dream alive yesterday by winning the doubles with John Peers against Austria. Despite the effort, our team was sadly bundled out this morning. Hewitt said of our chances of winning both games this morning to win the round; “If it’s good enough, it is, and if it’s not, it’s not.” True dat…

SQUIZ THE DAY

Federal Parliament resumes

Royal Commission hearings into the insurance industry resume

ABS Data Release - Overseas Arrivals and Departures, July

Australian Citizenship Day