Squiz Today – Monday, 25 October

THE SQUIZ
Concerns about gun safety were raised on the set of Rust in the days before cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot and director Joel Souza was injured on Thursday afternoon local time when Hollywood star Alec Baldwin fired a gun during a rehearsal. Several crew members walked off the set outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico a few hours before – they were protesting poor working conditions and safety concerns. And last week, reports say Baldwin’s stunt double accidentally fired 2 rounds with a prop gun after being told it was “cold” – an industry term meaning a weapon is not loaded. Authorities are investigating, and Baldwin tweeted that there are “no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident“.

WHAT HAPPENED?
Hutchins and Souza were trying to work out a difficult shot with Baldwin. As the cinematographer, Hutchins was the person responsible for the framing of every single shot in the film – a job that she was said to be good at. The gun Baldwin used was one of 3 that a firearms specialist – the armourer – had set on a cart outside. Police say assistant director Dave Halls took the gun, handed it to Baldwin, and incorrectly indicated that the weapon wasn’t loaded by yelling “cold gun.” When Baldwin pulled the trigger, he unwittingly hit the pair with a live round. An ambulance was called and Hutchins was pronounced dead at hospital.

HOW CAN SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPEN?
Well, there’s a lot that’s unknown at the moment, like what sort of gun and ammunition was involved, who loaded the weapon that was handed to Baldwin, and why protocols for preventing accidents like this weren’t followed. Rust is a western film set in the 1880s, and some have speculated that the gun in question could be a real weapon from the era to up the authenticity. When it comes to blanks, they are essentially modified real bullets and there are past examples of problems with them. As for the people involved, there are questions about the experience of the movie’s armourer, 24yo Hannah Gutierrez-Reed. And reports this morning claim assistant director Halls has form on being cavalier about safety on this and other movie sets. Authorities continue to investigate.  

Nats get on the net zero bus

While you were catching some blissful rest this weekend (we hope), wheeling and dealing on the Coalition’s climate policy has been ongoing. The result: the Nationals have agreed to the target of net zero emissions by 2050. Reports this morning say a ‘‘substantially’’ upgraded projection for emissions cuts by 2030 has also been agreed, but it won’t be turned into a formal commitment. The price of gaining the Nats’ support is yet to be revealed… “The easy decision would be to say ‘no’ and join other people in screaming and yelling from the sidelines, having no influence on where the decision went,” leader/Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce said late yesterday. It’s a big step for the party after years of resistance, and it means that the 2 major blocks of Australian federal politics – the Coalition and Labor – agree on Australia’s long-term emissions reduction target. Next up: climate action…

Victorians get on the road again

Get your car fuelled up, Victoria… From Friday, Melburnians will be able to leave the city for the first time since July. Residents across the state will come under the same COVID rules when a fully vaccinated rate of 80% is hit at the end of this week with Premier Daniel Andrews announcing a significantly expanded “vaccinated economy” yesterday. What the what? Essentially, to participate in society – to be able to go to work, socialise, attend events – Victorians aged 16yo and older have to be vaccinated. Once 90% of Victorians aged 12 and above have been vaccinated in about a month, everything opens up. That’s why Andrews is “very confident” that 80,000 will be able to attend day one of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. Can you imagine… But he says restrictions for unvaccinated Victorians will remain in place into next year. Also opening up: Tassie. Its set to welcome vaccinated interstate and international arrivals from 15 December.

More questions than answers

Western Australian Police want to speak to the driver of a vehicle seen leaving the campsite where 4yo Cleo Smith went missing from her family’s tent. They say it was seen at about 3am on Saturday, 16 October, and they want “to establish who they were and what they were doing at that time.” On Saturday, a search for fingerprints and other evidence on the outside of the family’s home in South Carnarvon was launched. Authorities say there is the possibility that someone kept an eye on the family prior to Cleo’s disappearance, but they have no evidence to support the theory at this stage. Police Commissioner Chris Dawson renewed his call for information yesterday. “We do believe that someone knows something. Cleo just can’t simply disappear from that tent without a 3rd party, another person or persons knowing,” he said.

Colombia’s most-wanted drug lord captured

The capture of Dairo Antonio Úsuga, better known as Otoniel, is said to be the “biggest blow against drug trafficking in our country this century,” and it’s “only comparable to the fall of Pablo Escobar in the 1990s,” according to Colombian President Iván Duque. Otoniel was Colombia’s most-wanted drug trafficker and the leader of the country’s largest criminal gang. The 50yo is said to be a nasty pastie. He was the head of a multi-national drug and people smuggling ring, and was involved in illegal gold mining and extortion. Otoniel now faces several charges including exporting cocaine to the US, killing police officers and recruiting children. Reports say Otoniel was worn down in recent times: while on the run he’s said to have insisted on sleeping on an orthopedic mattress to ease a back injury.

A winning weekend

They say that bad news comes in 3s – but this weekend, it was 3 wins for 3 of our national sporting teams. First up on a super sporting Saturday – the Wallabies. They beat Japan 32-23 making it our national rugby side’s 5th straight win for the first time since 2015. Next were the Matildas who prevailed 3-1 in a tough ‘friendly’ against Brazil. Their first home game in nearly 2 years and under pressure over claims of a toxic culture, it was a big deal for the side. The replay is on tomorrow night. And then the men’s T20 cricket side won their opening World Cup match against South Africa with just 2 balls to spare. Their next game is on Friday against India. Gotta love a top trio…

As Sydneysiders headed back to the pub last week, they chowed down on a chicken schnitty, and its tomato/ham/cheese’d sibling, the chicken parmy. And you’ll find no judgement here…

Speaking of menus, you may not be surprised to hear that COP26 climate summiteers will be fed with plant-based dishes. Locally sourced, of course…

And for those lucky enough to get to a T20 World Cup match in Abu Dhabi, let’s just say the seating arrangements are perfect for toddlers…

Federal Parliament resumes – House of Representatives only

All NSW school kids return to face-to-face learning

International Artist Day

World Pasta Day

National Greasy Foods Day – US

Birthdays for authors Anne Tyler (1941) and Zadie Smith (1975), and singer Katy Perry (1984)

Anniversary of:
• the birthdays of painter Pablo Picasso (1881) and singer Helen Reddy (1941)
• the flight of the first Airbus A380 passenger flight – the world’s largest passenger airliner – flying between Singapore and Sydney (2007)
• the deaths of Kate Goodchild, Luke Dorsett, Roozi Araghi and Cindy Low at Dreamworld (2016)