Squiz Today – Thursday, 26 October

SQUIZ SAYINGS

“A quiet and modest life brings more joy than a pursuit of success bound with constant unrest.”

Wrote Albert Einstein. The note was given to a bellboy in Tokyo in 1922 when the famed theoretical physicist found himself short of cash for a tip. And what a tip it was – it fetched A$1.7 million at auction yesterday.

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UNION FIGHTS BACK OVER POLICE SEARCH

THE SQUIZ
The fallout from police raids on the Sydney and Melbourne offices of the Australian Workers Union on Tuesday took an unexpected turn late yesterday. Declaring the raids “unprecedented and heavy-handed”, the unions questioned the validity of the search ordered by the Registered Organisations Commission (the union and workplace association regulator). The matter was about to land in court when it was revealed the Commission had agreed not to receive the documents seized by police until a proper hearing could take place on Friday morning. And a Coalition staffer resigned after it was revealed he'd notified media ahead of the raids - something his boss said didn't happen.

WHAT’S THIS ABOUT AGAIN?
That depends on who you’re talking to. But in short, the Commission is investigating whether donations made a decade ago (while current Labor leader Bill Shorten was at the helm of the union) were correctly administered. That includes a $100,000 donation made to activists GetUp! and amounts paid to the election campaigns of three Labor candidates, including Shorten’s campaign. The allegation is Shorten may have defied the union’s rules by not running it past its executive. Team Turnbull says if there’s nothing to hide, show us the proof. Team Shorten says the investigation is an abuse of power.

WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO KNOW?
After spending the day denying she had anything to do with it, Employment Minister Michaelia Cash was embarrassed by a Buzzfeed report that said one of her staffers told journalists the raid was happening. Later reports said her media adviser David De Garis had resigned. And GetUp! moved quickly to activate their base. They emailed their database asking supporters to “chip in $12” to help “protect against the government’s strong-arm tactics to stifle dissent”. Stay tuned for Friday’s episode.

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SQUIZ THE REST

MASSAGE THERAPIST FRUSTRATED BY GAYLE
Massage therapist Leanne Russell, the woman who alleged West Indian cricketer Chris Gayle exposed himself to her in the team dressing room, gave evidence yesterday in his defamation case against Fairfax Media. Russell said she went into the change room and saw Gayle and another player Dwayne Smith. “Chris said, ‘what are you looking for?’ I said, ‘a towel’. He replied, ‘are you looking for this?’ and pulled his towel out and down. I proceeded to shield my eyes, and said no, and left the change room.” She said she went to the stands and cried. Russell decided to go to the media after seeing Gayle’s now infamous on-air exchange with reporter Mel McLaughlin. “I’m furious women who work hard... are made to feel that way. People like Chris get to decide whether we’re successful or not," Russell said. The hearing continues.

UPPING THE ‘CARE’ IN AGED CARE
This took the wind out of our sails yesterday. Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt told the National Press Club that "up to 40% of people in residential aged care have no visitors 365 days of the year". Gee that’s sad. Wyatt also said there were 4,500 complaints a year about our 2,600+ accredited aged-care facilities. There’s recently been a review into the system. One recommendation was for unannounced assessments of facilities to ensure safety and quality. Wyatt says they’ll implement that ASAP. He also likes the idea of a ‘seniors gap year’ to help soon-to-be retirees map out their futures while keeping their jobs.

INFLATION LOWER THAN EXPECTED
With hefty electricity bills hitting our inboxes/mailboxes in the last few weeks, economists thought inflation would rise by a lot more than it did. The Consumer Price Index was up 0.2% in the July to September quarter (expectations were for a 0.8% rise), and it remained steady at 1.8% on last year (when an increase to 2% was expected). The 8.9% rise in energy process was offset by price falls in food, clothing, shoes, health and communications prices. The star performer was vegetables (is there nothing they can't do?). Not only did they drop in price by 11%, they make you smell better.

NZ NATS LOSE THEMSELVES - AGAIN
The National Party in New Zealand can’t take a trick at the moment. Yesterday it lost its High Court case after being sued by American rapper Eminem (yes, you read that right) for copyright infringement. The Nationals, who lost the recent Kiwi election bro, used a version of Eminem’s yuuuge hit Lose Yourself in an election campaign ad in 2014. The track - called ‘Eminem Esque’ - was deemed to be “sufficiently similar” to the original to constitute a breach. The fine = $A535,000. Mom’s spaghetti!

THAILAND MOURNS KING BHUMIBOL
It’s a big day in Thailand. Their beloved monarch King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who reigned for 70 years, will be moved from the Grand Palace to the Royal Crematorium - an elaborate 50-metre high funeral pyre erected next to the palace – for his funeral. He died over a year ago. Dignitaries from 42 countries will attend. In total, the event will cost about US$90 million. The Thai monarchy is a 750-year-old institution, and Bhumibol Adulyadej was its longest-serving – and much loved - monarch.

FATS DOMINO DEAD AT 89
The iconic rhythm and blues singer Fats Domino was a founder of rock & roll and had 30 top 40 hits in the 1950s and 60s including Blueberry Hill, Ain’t It A Shame and I’m Walking. During that period, he sold more than 65 million singles making him second only to Elvis Presley. Domino was a pioneer and an inspiration to countless performers, including Paul McCartney. Reclusive in his later years, Domino and his family were proud New Orleans locals who were badly affected by Hurricane Katrina. As one producer said, his music is “the kind of good that never wears out.”

SQUIZ THE DAY

2.40pm (AEDT) - Women's Ashes Cricket (ODI match) - Australia v England - Coffs Harbour International Stadium

ABS Data Releases - International Trade Price Indexes, September; Detailed Labour Force Data, September

Final batch of classified government documents on President John F Kennedy's assassination to be release

Anniversary of 1881's infamous gunfight at the OK Corral