Squiz Today – Thursday, 10 May

SQUIZ SAYINGS

“It’s a bit cold in here.”

Snooker champion Mark Williams celebrated his unlikely third world title by making good on the promise he made at the start of the tournament – to strip off for the press conference if he won. It gave the cammos and snappers a tough angle to play.

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LOST - FOUR MPs AND A SENATOR

THE SQUIZ
Just when you thought it was safe, the dual citizenship cluster-disaster strikes again… Yesterday’s decision by the High Court to rule one senator ineligible to sit in parliament had a dramatic domino effect. Within hours, four lower house MPs resigned because of the similarity of their situations.

SO THIS CHAPTER ISN’T CLOSED?
No way, Jose. The latest casualties are:

• Katy Gallagher - a Labor senator from the ACT, and former Chief Minister of the ACT. Her High Court case triggered the string of resignations. She was found to be a UK dual citizen when nominations to run in the 2016 election closed on 9 June 2016.

• Justine Keay – the Labor member for Braddon in Tassie. Her dual UK citizenship wasn’t formally renounced until after the election. She beat the Liberal Party member in 2016, and it will be a fight for her to retain it in a by-election.

• Susan Lamb – the Labor member from Longman on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. She said an estrangement from her mother meant she was unable to get the documents needed renounce her UK dual citizenship. She beat Coalition youngster Wyatt Roy last election and holds the seat by just a handful of votes. It’s unclear if she’s eligible to fight the by-election.

• Rebekah Sharkie – she's the Centre Alliance (formerly known as the Nick Xenophon Team) member for Mayo in SA. She was another one with a question mark over her citizenship status before nominations closed. Sharkie beat Liberal frontbencher Jamie Briggs in 2016 and will likely face Georgina Downer (daughter of former member for Mayo, Alexander Downer) in the by-election.

• Josh Wilson – the Labor MP for Fremantle in WA. He too didn’t have his dual citizenship renounced by the nomination deadline. The seat’s been in Labor hands since 1934.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Three things to note:

• Snarking - Labor leader Bill Shorten is getting a ribbing because he said his party’s processes were watertight. But no party has covered themselves in glory during this saga...

• Campaigning - Five by-elections need to happen in the coming weeks when you include Tim Hammond’s resignation from his seat of Perth last week.

• Wine selecting - We need to work out our state-appropriate drink pairings for a ‘Super Saturday’ of by-elections. Because we believe in embracing every electoral event.

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SQUIZ THE REST

COMING HOME
Newly installed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been in North Korea to talk to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un about the details of the upcoming talks with US President Donald Trump. And he’s coming home with three US citizens – two teachers and a missionary - who have been detained in North Korea. They are set to land in the US this afternoon (our time). Trump tweeted that the trio seem to be in good health.

NATIONS COME TOGETHER OVER TRUMP
There's no doubt that Trump is having a big impact on global politics. And everyone’s talking about him.

• France, the UK and Germany are banding together to save what’s left of the Iran nuclear deal after the US bailed on it yesterday.

• North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was in Dalian, China to see President Xi Jinping. They had a bit to discuss ahead of Kim’s meeting with Trump.

• And Japanese PM Shinzo Abe played host to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and South Korean President Moon Jae-in for their annual meeting. The big topic of conversation was the impact of America’s new tariffs and a pending trade war.

As Oscar Wilde said, there is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.

HEAT RISES FOR TRUMP’S LAWYER
Soz but we're not done with Trump yet... His personal lawyer Michael Cohen continues to make waves. Reports say his company, Essential Consultants, (which paid adult actress Stormy Daniels for her silence over an alleged affair with Trump) received payments from a Russian oligarch and companies that had business with the Trump administration. Payment for access? No one is sure. The plot thickens…

KILAUEA KICKS ON
Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island has erupted again, this time from two new vents which has forced more evacuations. So far 26 homes have been destroyed, and reports say that lava now covers more than 100 acres. Authorities are pleading with residents to get out and stay out of dangerous areas.

CAMILLA “FEARLESSLY DETERMINED” TO BEAT BREAST CANCER
Australia’s kaftan queen Camilla Franks has been diagnosed with breast cancer just three months after having her first child. “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t scared,” she said, but she’s focused on her recovery. People have been known to do crazy things to get their hands on one of Camilla’s creations, and her stores have been targets for thieves. Franks was due to participate in a Fashion Week event next week, but there’s no word if she’ll attend. Here’s to a successful resolution and speedy recovery.

SQUIZ THE DAY

11.00am (AEST) - AMP's Annual General Meeting - Melbourne

From 5.00am Friday (AEST) - Jessica Mauboy to perform in the semi-final of Eurovision

ABS Data Release - Building Approvals, March

World Lupus Day

Anniversary of Germany's invasion of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, and the appointment of Winston Churchill as UK's PM after the resignation of Neville Chamberlain (1940)