Squiz Today – Monday, 2 November

SQUIZ SAYINGS

“I used to do 5km a day, then that leads into a half marathon, which leads to a full marathon. Before you know it, a marathon doesn’t cut it anymore.”

Said Australian Army Private Philip Gore on his win of the Light Horse Ultra 24-hour Marathon, clocking up 215.11km. And his observations about building stamina are spot on: you used to be happy with a row of chocolate, which leads to half a block, which leads to a full block. Before you know it, a family block doesn’t cut it anymore…

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DONUTS FOR AUSTRALIA

THE SQUIZ
Australia recorded no cases of community transmission of COVID-19 yesterday - the first time since 9 June. But there's one whopping big asterisk… There was a case in New South Wales that fell outside the reporting period that will be included in today's numbers. But health officials will take their wins where they can get them, and Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt thanked Australians for their efforts.

DOES THAT MEAN OUR BORDERS WILL OPEN?
Well, there's already some movement scheduled. As of 1am (AEST) tomorrow, Queensland will open its border to NSW residents, but will remain closed to those from Greater Sydney and Victoria. That’s the way it’s gonna be (li'l darling…) until 1 December, much to Qantas boss Alan Joyce’s disappointment. And Western Australia will move to a ‘controlled border’ from 14 November. That means residents from 'very low risk' areas - aka those with no local cases in the past 28 days - can go west (life is peaceful there). If it was in place today, residents from Tassie, Queensland, South Oz, the ACT and the Top End could enter. Meanwhile, the Northern Territory opens its borders to regional Victorians from today. And Team Morrison will continue to push for things to reopen in time for Chrissy travel.

WHAT’S HAPPENING ELSEWHERE?
UK PM Boris Johnson yesterday announced that England will go into a nationwide lockdown after its pandemic total passed one million cases. Coming into force on Thursday, pubs, restaurants, gyms and 'non-essential' retail will close, and stay-at-home orders will be reimposed until at least 2 December. The UK is currently recording circa 20,000 new cases a day. Meanwhile, the US set a record on Friday for new coronavirus cases in 24 hours with Reuters counting 100,233 cases. The US has recorded 9.1 million cases and 230,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

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SQUIZ THE REST

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LABOR WINS QUEENSLAND CONVINCINGLY

The parties and the polls said it would be a close one, but it turned out to be a comfortable win for Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Labor on Saturday night. The party’s tipped to take 52 seats in the 93-seat parliament - up from 48. Meanwhile, the Liberal National Party (LNP) failed to fire and is expected to end up with 34 seats - down from 39. The Greens will double their presence with two seats after a good showing in central Brissie. A preference deal with the LNP saw it claim the seat of Labor’s former Deputy Premier Jackie Trad. Meanwhile, One Nation’s support collapsed as voters across the state gave Palaszczuk a tick of approval for her COVID border policies as she became the latest incumbent leader to win support at an election. Palaszczuk, who became the first woman to lead her party to 3 election wins, said she would wait until the count was finalised before confirming her front bench.

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NEW ZEALAND SETTLES ITS ELECTION RESULT

While we’re talking elections… Kiwi PM Jacinda Ardern finalised a ‘cooperation agreement’ with the Greens after her election win last month. The Greens will take two ministries in her government and have agreed to some shared policy priorities in the areas of the environment, climate change and child wellbeing. Ardern’s Labour Party became the first to win a majority of seats under the country’s voting system that’s set up to favour coalitions. She could go it alone, but says her government works well with the Greens and their expertise on those policy areas is valuable. Details of her ministry will be announced today. Kiwis also voted on two referendums last month. The results were announced yesterday - it's a 'yes' to voluntary assisted dying laws, and ‘no’ to legalising cannabis use.

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US ELECTION HITS THE HOME STRETCH

And we're still talking about elections… There are two more sleeps until the US elections featuring the presidential race. Don't roll your eyes, some people are putting off labour to get involved… As we’ve already mentioned, COVID-19 is front and centre pushing many to vote early. A record 90 million votes have already been cast - for context, in 2016 there were 58.3 million early votes. Trump, who still trails in the polls, is setting a cracking pace campaigning in battleground states across the country via 10 big rallies today and tomorrow. As for Democratic challenger Joe Biden, he’s enlisted former President Barack Obama (and his basketball skillz…) for his final push. But it’s not smooth sailing - vehicles flying Trump flags were filmed trying to force a Biden-Harris campaign bus off a highway in Texas yesterday. Also concerned about the potential for agro - the Oz Government. It’s amended the travel advice for the US citing concerns over the “potential for violence” this week.

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NATURAL DISASTERS ACROSS THE WEEKEND

Typhoon Goni made landfall in the Philippines yesterday - twice. The first land crossing was at the island of Catanduanes, and then it was onto the main island of Luzon. Almost 350,000 people were evacuated, but at least 7 people are reported to have died, and homes and infrastructure have been destroyed. The final toll is far from certain with a town of 70,000 people on Catanduanes cut off from outside contact. Goni is the most powerful storm to hit the country since 2013 when Typhoon Haiyan killed more than 6,000 people. Meanwhile in Turkey and Greece, at least 26 people have died in an earthquake that struck Turkey’s Aegean coast and the Greek island of Samos. Buildings toppled in Izmir, Turkey's third-largest city, and the search for survivors is ongoing. A small tsunami also affected coastal areas in both countries. And closer to home, Saturday's massive hail storm in southeast Queensland has inflicted more than $1 billion in damage on the area with the Insurance Council declaring it a 'catastrophe'.

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VALE SEAN CONNERY

Sean Connery - the first and the ultimate James Bond - died at home in the Bahamas on Saturday at 90yo. The Scotsman’s wife of 45-years, Micheline Roquebrune, said he’d had dementia and he “went peacefully”. Connery will be best remembered for his 7-time appearance as 007. But it was his role as a hardened cop fighting the mob that earned him an Oscar for The Untouchables. Some other notable  turns include The Hunt for Red October, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Alfred Hitchcock classic Marnie, and cult favourite Highlander. Not bad for a poor kid from Edinburgh who had a milk run at 9yo, left school at 13yo to polish coffins, joined the Navy at 16yo (where he picked up his ‘Scotland Forever’ tattoo), and then got into bodybuilding while working as a life drawing model before deciding to make it as an actor. His first marriage to Australian Diane Cilento ended in accusations of violence and adultery. Yesterday, his professional kindness and commitment to Scottish independence was referenced, as was his knighthood from Queen Elizabeth in 2000. The good and the great of the industry remembered him yesterday as an era-defining performer.

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HALLOWEEN FUN

Those celebs sure like Halloween… For ours, these kids take the cake. And all the trick-or-treat lollies they can carry…

SQUIZ THE DAY

International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists

ABS Data Release - Lending Indicators, September; Building Approvals, September

David Schwimmer’s birthday (1966)

Anniversary of:
• the birthdays of Marie Antionette (1755)
• the first publication of women's fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar (1867)
• Democrat Jimmy Carter elected President of the United States (1976)
• the start of 'The Great Emu War’ when Aussie soldiers were called in to help with a cull the emu population in WA (1932)