Squiz Today / 23 May 2019

Squiz Today – Thursday, 23 May

THREE MINUTE SQUIZ

“To be able to make someone that happy is something I will never take for granted.”

And Kerri-Ann Charlton and her hubby Sam have been making guests to their island resort very happy for some time now. They’re the owners of Bedarra Island, which they took on after Cyclone Yasi smashed it in 2011. Rebuilding the resort from scratch, they now love sharing their little patch of paradise. Please welcome Kerri-Ann to the Three Minute Squiz.


ADANI’S ELECTION CHICKENS COME HOME TO ROOST

THE SQUIZ
Sniffing the winds of change after last weekend’s federal election - and determining that she could soon step in something unpleasant unless she changes her stride - Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday said it was time to end the delays holding up the development of Adani’s proposed Carmichael coal mine in the Galilee Basin. "Very clearly, enough is enough. This needs to be sorted out," she said yesterday. Adani is waiting on her government's approval on two issues - one concerning the protection of the black-throated finch's habitat, the other on the management of groundwater.

WHAT THE WHAT?
Yep. Palaszczuk’s announcement that she was appointing the Coordinator-General to oversee approvals for the mine, and that there would be a meeting with Adani tomorrow - all with Hay Point coal terminal in Mackay as her backdrop… Well, it was a change of tune the equivalent of whistling classical music only to break into a Post Malone ditty. So it’s no wonder Adani, which is years into the approvals process, is sceptical. And the mine’s opponents had as much fun with the Premier’s new position as the Queen had with a self-service checkout. But the pressure was mounting, and her Labor colleagues are on edge after the federal election left the party without a seat north of the Brisbane River.

THINGS ARE MOVING FAST…
Which could also be said of federal Labor’s leadership talent quest. After using Tuesday to declare his candidacy for party leader, Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen withdrew from the race yesterday. The simple reason is he didn’t have enough support, with senior colleagues declaring their preference for Anthony Albanese - even those from his own faction. Still considering his options is Queensland young gun Jim Chalmers. But pundits say we should probably expect beer-loving-footy-fans Scomo and Albo to go head-to-head soon.


SQUIZ THE REST


VOLLER GUILTY IN QUEENSLAND, WANTED IN NSW

Dylan Voller, the high-profile former youth detainee of Northern Territory’s Don Dale Centre, yesterday pled guilty to falsely claiming a bomb was planted at last year's Commonwealth Games' marathon finish line. He was given a suspended six-month jail sentence with the judge saying she believed he was remorseful and that he had post-traumatic stress disorder. Meanwhile, another report surfaced yesterday saying he is wanted in NSW on armed robbery charges. The image of Voller in a hood and restrained in a chair became symbolic of allegations of assault and mistreatment of boys in Don Dale that led to a Royal Commission that finished up last year with no charges laid.


QUICK INTERNATIONAL ELECTION NEWS WRAP

EUROPEAN UNION ELECTION TIME - Yep, it’s an election watcher’s paradise at the moment… Today’s episode: the EU. And you can imagine how thrilled many UK residents are to be eligible to vote for the return of 73 members to the European Parliament. It’s like still being at a bad party at 2am when you had planned to leave at 8.30pm… The process kicks off today and it will be wrapped up by Sunday.

JAKARTA PROTESTS TURN DEADLY - Six people died and 200 were injured as protestors raging against the election commission's declarationthat President Joko Widodo had defeated his rival Prabowo Subianto clashed with authorities yesterday. Claims of election fixing and Prabowo’s rejection of the result had the police and military on full alert. More protests are expected in the coming days.

AND GET READY FOR IT - India’s mega-election result will be announced today. After seven phases of voting staged over a month to accommodate 900 million electors, reports say the exit polls have incumbent Narendra Modi retaining power.


XI REFRAMES TRADE DEBATE

Symbolism can be an impactful tool of the political trade, and one China's President Xi Jinping has drawn on by referencing country’s political history to reassert his resolve in the country’s trade war against the US. On Monday, Xi went to the place where Communist Party founder Mao Zedong started his 4,000 mile ‘Long March’ in 1934 and asked his people to begin a modern version of the journey. Given China’s trade troubles with America, it is an indicator that Xi is not backing down, but rather is rallying his people to fight for their place in a new world order. Interesting, yes?


DRESS UP YOUR OXEN FOR DROUGHT RELIEF

So along with your regular rain dance, there’s a new ritual we ought to be considering. Yesterday, Cambodia’s royal oxen, dressed in fancy robes and headgear, participated in the country’s annual ancient ploughing ceremony. They’re given bowls of produce and, based on their choice of crops and the amount they eat, predictions are made about the size of the crop for the coming year. And things are looking good, palace astrologers say. Maybe this is something our Governor-General can get onto?


APROPOS OF NOTHING: SHOWBIZ EDITION

Broadway sensation Hamilton is coming to Sydney - but we’ll have to wait until 2021 to see it.

When singing legend Aretha Franklin died, her family thought she left no will. But it seems she left some indication of what she wanted - it was found under a sofa cushion.

And Celine Dion’s Carpool Karaoke - as a kindly aunt used to say about people who were a bit wacky; “She has an interesting energy”… And the story about her shoe collection - unbelievable.

SQUIZ THE DAY

Start of voting in the European Parliamentary Election (on until 26 May)

India’s election results announced

Australia's Biggest Morning Tea

World Turtle Day

Tennis great John Newcombe’s birthday (1944)

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