Squiz Today – Thursday, 13 September

SQUIZ SAYINGS

“When I get in, we should chat.”

Said ABC Triple J radio boss Lachlan Macara to breakfast hosts Ben Harvey and Liam Stapleton after receiving a 6.00am on-air prank call. A few minutes later the guys were pulled off air to deal with “a little bit of a backlash”. Their performance reviews will be a hoot…

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SEARCHING FOR LYN

THE SQUIZ
Thirty-six-years after Lynette Dawson went missing from Sydney’s Northern Beaches, police yesterday began digging at the Bayview property she shared with husband Chris and young daughters Shanelle and Sherryn in the hope of finding her remains. Police have previously searched parts of the property, including as recently as 2016, but they say this search is more extensive and will utilise new technology. The case has been the subject of the highly successful investigative podcast series The Teacher’s Pet by The Australian’s Hedley Thomas.

I’VE BEEN LIVING UNDER A ROCK…
You haven’t been listening to The Teacher’s Pet? You’re possibly the only person we know who isn’t… Even before the podcast, the case was high profile. In three quick points:

• Chris Dawson, a professional-footballer-PE-teacher, seemed to have a fairytale life with his beautiful wife Lyn and little girls. It was anything but.

• He was in a relationship with 16yo student Joanne Curtis whom he moved into his home days after Lyn disappeared in early 1982. And that’s just the start of it…

• Police were accused of dropping the ball on investigating Lyn’s disappearance, and two separate coroners ruled that her husband had murdered her. But he has never been charged.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Police say the digging will likely take five days to complete. After that? “We’re going to continue investigating this no matter what happens today,” said Homicide Squad Commander Scott Cook. It’s hard to imagine the rollercoaster her family is on. Lyn’s brother Greg Simms yesterday said the family was stunned by yesterday’s development and her family hoped for “anything that leads to more information that leads to an arrest. If they find Lyn that’s a double whammy for us.” Meanwhile, daughter Shanelle told Nine’s 60 Minutes that when it comes to her father’s involvement; “I can’t really comprehend the dad that I know and love could be that selfish.” And you can expect the juggernaut that is The Teacher’s Pet will keep on keeping on. It’s been downloaded more than 18.4 million times already…

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SQUIZ THE REST

JONES & CO “VICIOUS AND SPITEFUL”
A Queensland court yesterday found broadcaster Alan Jones and stations 2GB and 4BC defamed the Wagner family in 27 broadcasts that went to air in 2014 and ’15. Jones alleged (amongst other things) that the family was responsible for the deaths of 12 people in the 2011 Grantham floods when a Wagner-owned quarry wall collapsed. Awarded a whopping $3.75 million in damages, Dennis Wagner said the judgment showed that influential people “will be held accountable for their words and their actions." Macquarie Media said it was considering an appeal.

SITTING FIRM ON THE ANTHEM
In a story custom-made for the shock-jocks, 9yo Harper Nielsen is facing suspension from her Brissie primary school for refusing to stand for the national anthem. She believes it’s not inclusive of Indigenous Australians. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson weighed in saying she would “give her a kick up the backside”. We had a mate who mistook the words “Australian sons let us rejoice” (as it was in those days) for “Australian sunset ostriches”. Hanson would have had a field day with her…

GOING HUNGARY
The European Parliament has voted to take action against member state Hungary. PM Viktor Orbán has been criticised for winding back democratic freedoms for the media, universities and has taken a hard line on immigration. Orban addressed members on Tuesday, and his refusal to back down saw them tip in favour of moving against his administration. The process could lead to the suspension of Hungary’s voting rights. The irony…

QUICK CONSUMER NEWS WRAP
STRAWBERRY SURPRISE – And not in a good way… If you bought Berry Licious or Berry Obsession strawbs from a Woolies store in Queensland, NSW or Victoria in the last week, chuck ‘em or take ‘em back for a refund. It’s thought a disgruntled former employee of the grower put sewing needles into some fruit. Yikes…

MYER SLIDE – The department store announced a $486 million loss for the last financial year. “Disappointing,” said new boss Gary Hounsell in the understatement of the year. “Absolute disgrace,” said former Coles Myer chair Solomon Lew. The market agreed and (another) 4.6% was sliced off its share price yesterday.

APPLE SEASON – It’s unveiled its biggest ever iPhone, and an Apple Watch that is more of a health device, including fall detection that calls for help if you go down and haven’t moved for a minute. Not good for dramatic nappers…

DOUBLE THE TROUBLE
The number of women saying they’d experienced harassment at work has gone up from 21% in 2012 to 39% this year, according to the Human Rights Commission. And it’s not just a women’s issue - 25% of men surveyed said they’d experienced harassment at work too. Despite being a relatively small industry, ‘information, media and telecommunications’ workers topped the list with 81% of workers affected. Commissioner Kate Jenkins yesterday said the #metoo and Time’s Up movements mean more people are comfortable with putting their hand up to say it’s happened to them.

APROPOS OF NOTHING…
The season is over for AFL team Geelong, so time to honour a tradition they call Wacky Wednesday. Keep your eye out for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Political candidate Cynthia Nixon (Sex and The City’s Miranda) recently dabbled in an area that has brought many unstuck. Behold the latest edition of aspiring politicians making terrible dining decisions…

Nicole Kidman’s wigs. The subject came up with the creator of the Kidmanifesto podcast. Yes, there is such a thing… So much goodness in one story.

SQUIZ THE DAY

ABS Data Releases - Labour Force, August

This evening - Liberal Party to preselect a candidate to stand in the Wentworth by-election following former PM Malcolm Turnbull's resignation

R U OK Day

Birthdays for former cricketer Shane Warne (1969) and designer Stella McCartney (1971)