Squiz Today – Thursday, 23 November

SQUIZ SAYINGS

"Always get a breadboard that fits in your dishwasher.”

That’s a brilliant piece of advice Danielle Kabos’ mum gave her. Danielle and husband Mike chucked in their great big corporate jobs in Melbourne and moved to France a few years ago. There they have restored a 350yo home in Normandy turning it into a chic B&B called La Pommetier. Check out Danielle’s Three Minute Squiz here.

---

VICTORIA SET TO PASS VOLUNTARY ASSISTED DYING LAWS

THE SQUIZ
After a marathon 28 hours of continuous debate, the Victorian upper house yesterday passed their proposed voluntary assisted dying laws. The legislation will now go back to the lower house where it is expected to be approved next week. If that happens, Victoria will become the first state to legalise voluntary euthanasia - and the Commonwealth will be unable to overturn it. Premier Daniel Andrews and other supporters of the bill say it will be the most conservative euthanasia regime in the world.

HOW’S IT GOING TO WORK?
The key points are:

• It's slated to commence mid-2019 and terminally-ill Victorians in intolerable pain with less than six months to live (or 12 months for those with neurodegenerative diseases like MND) will have the right to end their lives.

• The legislation has 141 clauses dealing with the ins-and-outs of the scheme’s three-step request process. It involves an expert board that will review all cases, two independent medical assessments and 68 ‘safeguards’ to protect vulnerable people from coercion and abuse.

• About 150 people a year are expected to access the scheme.

THIS IS A BIG STEP…
It sure is. And as you’d imagine with an issue as monumental as this, it has its strong supporters and detractors.

Supporters: TV mover-and-shaker Andrew Denton spearheaded the effort to get the issue on the agenda and set up Go Gentle Australia to lobby for legislative action. He got involved after watching his father Kit’s protracted and painful death from heart failure. And if the polls are to be believed, about 75% of Australians support voluntary euthanasia.

Detractors: The Australian Medical Association’s Victoria branch (which is worried about the pressure it puts on doctors) and Palliative Care Victoria (which believes a ‘good death’ is possible) aren’t fans. Neither are former PMs Paul Keating and Tony Abbott. And reports this morning say Australia's leading euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke gave the government a hat tip but thinks the scheme is unworkable.

With an 18-month phase-in period and a Victorian state election next year, there will no doubt be a lot more said on the issue before the scheme commences.

---

TOP TIPS FOR COMMUNICATING IN 2018

PRESENTED BY COMMTRACT

As the founder and CEO of Commtract - Australia’s first marketplace and community for professional communicators - Pete McConnell is in a unique position to see the trends that are shaping the Aussie communications market.

Check out Pete's top five trends for communicators in 2018.

Whether you're looking for campaigning, writing, internal comms, video content or specialised communications skills check out how Commtract can amplify your voice.

---

SQUIZ THE REST

AUSTRALIA’S FOREIGN POLICY VISION UPDATED
It's the first white paper (which is a fancy term for an authoritative/informative government report) on foreign policy for 14 years – so there was a bit of updating to do. Like giving it a hashtag (#fpwhitepaper…). The key point is that Australia has to do more around the neighbourhood because:

• The US ‘retreating’ to put “America First” could have a major impact on our region.

• China's changed a lot since the early 2000s. And we should encourage it to be a force for stabilisation in the region, not an authoritarian bully.

In the tradition of snappy three-word slogans, the paper is titled "Opportunity. Security. Strength". One for the policy wonks.

QUICK ‘BERRA NEWS WRAP
NICK XENOPHON TEAM SENATOR RESIGNS – Turns out South Australian senator Skye Kakosche-Moore is a dual British citizen because her mother was born in Singapore when it was a British colony. And the fact that this item is only getting two sentences is a fair reflection of how weird things have become on this front...

HOOLEY DOOLEY! – No, Barnaby Joyce. The correct response was something along the lines of; “Thank you, Gina Rinehart. But I cannot accept your gift of $40,000 for being an excellent person in agriculture.” He got there in the end.

RUDDOCK TO LEAD RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS REVIEW - Philip Ruddock, former Howard Government minister/current mayor of Sydney’s Hornsby, will lead a review of what legislation might be required to protect religious freedoms once same-sex marriage becomes law. And the government says the review will be broader than that. Ruddock’s review will be delivered early next year - after same-sex marriage has been legislated for.

UBER DATA BREACH AFFECTS A LOT OF AUSTRALIANS
In fact, reports say hundreds of thousands of Aussie riders and drivers have been caught up in the breach the company has kept quiet for a year. And double in fact, The New York Times has reported Uber paid the hackers $132,000 to keep them quiet. OMG. Uber said it was getting around to telling regulators. Sheesh.

PARTRIDGE FAMILY FANS MOURN PASSING OF DAVID CASSIDY 
If you're of a certain vintage and wasted countless hours in front of the box during your youth, you were probably dismayed to learn that 70s heartthrob David Cassidy died yesterday, aged 67. Reports say the former star of The Partridge Family - whose baby blues and fabulous Farrah Fawcett flicks set millions of teen hearts racing - died in a Florida hospital from organ failure. Vale David - we hope you've found a comfy seat in that psychedelic Partridge Family bus in the sky.

TIME TO FAREWELL THE CRICKET/GOLF TRAGIC IN YOUR LIFE…
Or maybe you’re one yourself? Hasn’t that season come around quickly...

The Ashes – where it’s mate against mate, state against state (that’s right isn’t it?) – starts today in Brissie. If the war of words between the Aussies and the Poms is anything to go by, it’ll deliver some sizzling cricket. The Aussie experts are tipping a series win for the home side, but the English pundits reckon their side will be able to stage an upset. So far, so predictable.

And golf’s Australian Open tees off in Sydney today. The first-class Aussie to watch is Jason Day and American Jordan Speith is also in with a chance.

And while we have you – Australia’s national soccer coach Ange Postecoglou resigned yesterday to the bafflement of many given the Socceroos qualified for next year's World Cup. It was an emotional decision for the bloke…

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Arguably America’s most significant holiday, Thanksgiving is thought to have started by Pilgrims who emigrated from England in the 1600s inviting the local native Americans to a harvest feast after a successful growing season. These days it’s about giving thanks for family, friends, and to give to those less fortunate. And turkey. Yesterday US President Donald Trump performed the traditional Thanksgiving turkey pardoning ceremony. “Thirty-six pounds -  that’s a big bird,” he said. Drumstick and Wishbone were the lucky birds that will now live out their days on a farm called Gobblers Rest. "I feel so good about myself," said the President. To all our American friends – happy Thanksgiving.

SQUIZ THE DAY

ABS Data Releases - Water Account, 2015-16; Labour Force, October

Annual General Meetings - Primary Health Care; Woolworths

Turnbull Government to release its Foreign Policy White Paper

Reports say Amazon in Australian will start accepting its first orders today...