Squiz Today – Monday, 24 September

SQUIZ SAYINGS

"I’m Dr David Brill and I approve this message."

Political campaigning is tough. But this ad is brutal…

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GENDER POLITICS TOP THE AGENDA

THE SQUIZ
Both here and abroad, gender politics is shaping up as a dominant theme for the year. In Oz, Labor is turning the screws on PM Scott Morrison and taking every opportunity to highlight the Coalition’s ‘woman problem’. And in the US, the #metoo and Time’s Up movements continue to cause problems for powerful men.

LET’S START AT HOME
Labor’s Tanya Plibersek yesterday announced that companies with more than 1,000 employees would be required to publish information on male and female salaries if they’re successful next election. While some of this info is already reported to the government, Labor plans to make the details public to put the skates on pay equality. Morrison is under pressure after two female MPs resigned in recent weeks, and former deputy leader Julie Bishop continues to speak out about female representation in the party. Which provides some context for why he didn’t rule out supporting Labor’s plan. And no doubt Morrison will be looking for other ways to make some ground with the latest Newspoll showing the Coalition has lifted its two-party preferred vote, but still trails Labor 46-54.

AND WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE U.S. OF A?
All eyes are on the trouble US President Donald Trump is having getting his pick for a new Supreme Court judge across the line. In talking point form:

• Brett Kavanaugh was on his way to having his appointment confirmed by Congress when Christine Blasey Ford came forward to accuse him of assaulting her while they were in high school in the 80s.

• Kavanaugh, a former George W Bush staffer, denies the accusation.

• A lot of people have had a lot to say about Ford’s decision to come forward after so long, including Trump. But she’s had some support with Patti Davis, daughter of former president Ronald Reagan, outlining her own experience of assault as a young woman and why she didn’t tell anyone for years.

Ford will testify before Congress on Thursday this week. One to watch.

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SQUIZ THE REST

JAMES RICKETSON BACK IN OZ
The Aussie filmmaker has arrived in Sydney after he received a royal pardon and was released from prison in Cambodia. He was sentenced last month to six years jail for espionage after flying a drone with a camera over a political rally. But his release might not have been out of the goodness of the government’s heart - some say it’s a strategic move by PM Hun Sen who is travelling to the US this week to address the United Nations.

HANG ON, HELP IS ON ITS WAY
Imagine this: you're taking part in a sailing race around the world, you're 3,200km off the coast of Western Australia, your mast is broken, and you've injured your back so badly you can't get to food or water. That's the plight of Indian sailor Abhilash Tomy. He was able to raise the alarm on Saturday, and military planes have spotted his boat. It's hoped a French vessel will get to him today.

BREXIT BLUES
UK PM Theresa May has suffered another Brexit bruising with European Union leaders rejecting her plan. The two sticking points remain their economic relationship post-Brexit and arrangements for the Irish border with Ireland staying in the EU. So, just 99% of the negotiations to go… The plan was to have an agreement by November so Brexit could happen in March next year. May has demanded the EU show the UK more respect and offer solutions instead of just pointing out the problems. We all have that person in our lives…

HOUSEKEEPING!
Keeping you updated on recent developments:

SHARKS KILLED IN WHITSUNDAYS – Four tiger sharks in fact, but authorities say it’s impossible to tell if they were responsible for the two attacks last week. Justine Barwick, the 46yo from Tassie, is recovering after an 18-hour operation in Brisbane. And 12yo Hannah Papps remains in a critical but stable condition.

EDUCATION DEAL IN TROUBLE – The Coalition Government’s $4.5 billion solution to Catholic and independent schools’ funding problem didn’t impress NSW. That's a problem because the states distribute the cash.

STRAWBERRY PAINS PERSIST – Countdown Supermarkets in New Zealand (owned by Woolies) have pulled one brand of Aussie strawbs from their shelves after needles were found in a punnet.

GET YOUR SPORTS CHAT ON
How about those footy finals? Shocks galore. The talking points today for your NRL chat will be whether Billy Slater is cleared by the judiciary to play in the grand final and how on earth did Cooper Cronk manage to stay on the paddock with a busted shoulder? And in the AFL, get ready for the sartorial highs and lows of tonight’s Brownlow Medal. Moving on from the festival of testosterone, our Aussie Diamonds put an anthem-fail behind them to take out the Quad Series netball title with a win against our arch-frenemies, the Kiwi Silver Ferns.

CEPHALOPODIC LOVE
Octopuses. On ecstasy. Cuddling. The only thing missing is an underwater rave…

SQUIZ THE DAY

Queen's Birthday long weekend in WA

8.15pm (AEST) - Brownlow Medal for the AFL's best and fairest - Melbourne

Anniversary of F Scott Fitzgerald's birthday (1896)

Anniversary of the release of Nirvana's album Nevermind (1991)