Squiz Today – Monday, 6 August

SQUIZ SAYINGS

“People do realise don't they that the entire tampon tax a year is about $18 per person.”

Tweeted one observer of Team Turnbull’s weekend announcement that the GST on women's sanitary products would be removed (if the states agree) at the cost of $30 million. Sometimes “the right and fair thing to do" (to quote Women’s Minister Kelly O’Dwyer) is another person’s pocket change.

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GET YOUR NEG ON

THE SQUIZ
It’s all been building up to this – the week we find out if the states and territories will sign up to the Turnbull Government’s National Energy Guarantee (aka the NEG). With the country’s Energy Ministers meeting in just four sleeps’ time (or Friday for anyone who isn’t electricity policy enthusiast), critics of the plan (think former PM Tony Abbott) and some Labor state premiers (think Victoria’s Daniel Andrews) will be doing all they can to keep federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg on his toes.

SERIOUSLY? IT’S MONDAY FOR PETE’S SAKE…
Get this and you'll own the week. Long story short, we're facing an impending power shortage. After a number of coal-fired power generators shut down and a good whack of our gas was sold for export, our pollies have been working on a way to keep their jobs. Sorry, we meant to keep the lights on… Enter the NEG – a Turnbull Government proposal they say will ensure:

• The reliability of the system is maintained.

• Emissions are reduced to honour our international commitments.

• Put downward pressure on prices for consumers.

Expect a lot of jockeying for position ahead of the all-important meeting on Friday.

WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING?
Not entirely unrelated, PM Malcolm Turnbull has previously said climate change has had a hand in the drought that is devastating NSW and Queensland. Yesterday he visited Trangie in NSW’s west to announce an additional $190 million for emergency payments to farming families and mental health services. For a human side to the toll the drought is taking, watch charity worker Edwina Robertson have a few words, and tears, with Turnbull. Just heart-wrenching. For a visual, here are some incredible pics. And if you want to help, here are some links.

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SQUIZ THE REST

LOMBOK HIT AGAIN
A second powerful magnitude 6.9 earthquake has struck Lombok killing at least 37 people and injuring more than 50. It follows Wednesday’s 6.4-magnitude quake that killed 16 people. Reports say that buildings in the main city of Mataram were damaged and the power has been cut in some areas. Western Bali also experienced tremors for several seconds. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton is currently in Lombok for a meeting. He said the quake “was powerful enough to put us on the floor” but the Aussie delegation is fine.

DRONE TARGETS VENEZUELAN PREZ
Venezuela’s controversial president Nicolas Maduro was targeted by drones armed with explosives while delivering a speech to hundreds of soldiers on Saturday. Yep, the future is now… Calling it an assassination attempt, Maduro said a combination of the "far right", Colombia and Venezuelans-living-in-the-US were responsible. “I am alive and victorious,” Maduro said afterwards.  Seven people were injured. Maduro was re-elected last year in a process the US said was a sham.

US v NORTH KOREA; MELANIA v DONALD
While US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo advocated for keeping the pressure on North Korea after the UN found Pyongyang was still pursuing a nuclear program, US President Donald Trump found himself up against basketball royalty… and his wife. Seems that a presidential Twitter rant insulting LeBron James’ intelligence (the game’s current megastar) was not well received at home. The First Lady Melania Trump said via her spokeswoman that she liked the work James does with kids.

MNANGAGWA CLAIMS VICTORY
Incumbent Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa has claimed victory in last Monday’s presidential election. He’s appealed for peace and unity to build a new Zimbabwe. Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa called the victory a “coup”.

BIN LADEN WAS “A VERY GOOD KID”
Mothers, eh. In her first ever interview, Alia Ghanem, mother of the most infamous terrorist of the modern era, Osama bin Laden, says her son was brainwashed into jihadism in his 20s while fighting against the Soviets in Afghanistan. After the 9/11 attacks, “We all felt ashamed of him.” A fascinating read.

AUSSIE SHOW BIZ PERSONALITIES WRAP
KARL AND THE REEF – Labor senator Kristina Keneally has called Today host Karl Stefanovic’s support of Great Barrier Reef Foundation a conflict of interest given the organisation’s past sponsorship of his TV show. The Foundation’s work and supporters are under scrutiny after the Turnbull Government granted it $444 million without any tender process.

HADLEY’S TEARS OVER SON’S COCAINE ARREST – Daniel Hadley is a NSW Police officer and son of Sydney radio jock, Ray Hadley. The Sydney broadcasting star said he was initially “angry and perplexed”, but that’s since turned to “shock and sadness”.

WIGGLES D-I-V-O-R-C-E – We're just being careful so the kids don't hear us… The Wiggles' golden couple Emma Watkins and Lachlan Gillespie have announced their split after two years of marriage. But the band is staying together. That won't be awkward at all… We’re looking forward to the new/passive-aggressive kids song; “A Very Positive Change In Our Relationship”.

SQUIZ THE DAY

Picnic Day Public Holiday - Northern Territory

Bank Holiday - NSW and ACT

9.30am (AEST) - The Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry starts the fifth round of public hearings. This round focuses on superannuation (on until 17 August)

US to reimpose tariffs on Iran after leaving the multination nuclear deal

ANZ Job Advertisements Survey for July

Anniversary of the US dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, that instantly killed approximately 66,000 people (1945)