Squiz Today – Thursday, 5 July

SQUIZ SAYINGS

“I’m sweating like a dog, so it’s not pretty, but I’m happy.”

When it comes to marking America's Independence Day, Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on New York's Coney Island is a crucial event. And this year, Joey Chestnut broke his own record by eating 74 dogs in 10 minutes. America the brave…

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ABBOTT’S “SAD” ATTACK ON POWER POLICY

THE SQUIZ
Former PM Tony Abbott is continuing his full-on assault on the Turnbull Government’s energy policy. Yesterday, PM Malcolm Turnbull countered by claiming the cornerstone of the policy – a National Energy Guarantee (NEG) – has "almost universal support across the country."

WHAT’S THAT ALL ABOUT?
Let’s break it down.

Team Turnbull – They’re in a process to get the state and territory governments signed up to a national energy policy that they say will guarantee reliable and more affordable electricity. From 2020, the NEG will impose on energy retailers reliability (to ensure the lights stay on) and emissions reduction obligations (to meet our international obligations under the Paris Climate Agreement that the former Abbott Government signed on to).

Abbott’s Agitators – Abbott yesterday said the government should walk away from the Paris climate commitments (that his government signed…) to reduce emissions by 26-28% by 2030. It's those targets that they say will drive energy producers towards renewables and away from coal. That, in turn, will compromise reliability, drive electricity prices up and do little for the environment, Abbott and his supporters say.

REMIND ME WHY I CARE ABOUT THIS?
You’re right. Abbott and some like-minded colleagues (remember the Monash Forum?) have been agitating on this for a while. And pundits say it’s unlikely to come to anything. But that’s the point. It's not that long ago that Abbott was the guy who toppled our most popular PM ever (Labor’s Kevin Rudd) and went on to win an election. The same bloke is now described by his colleagues as a “sad” and “isolated” figure. Despite months of wrecking, undermining and sniping (something he said he’d never do) and another frontal attack this week, he’s as popular as lunch with Labor leader Bill Shorten. How times have changed… The key meeting between the governments is in August so expect more of the same in the weeks to come.

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SQUIZ THE REST

WHO’S UP FOR SOME HORIZONTAL FISCAL EQUALISATION?
Said no one ever... To recap, the Productivity Commission sent the Turnbull Government a report about how to carve up the GST among the states and territories a few months ago. It's out today, and reports say the government will add $7 billion to the kitty to ensure no one is worse off. It’s a big day for the economists. To the rest of you: as you were.

HU’S CHINESE PRISON RELEASE
Aussie citizen/former Rio Tinto exec Stern Hu has been released from prison in China after nine years in detention. To refresh your memory, he and three Chinese colleagues were arrested in 2009 for accepting bribes and stealing trade secrets. Admissions were made on the bribery front, but as Australian officials weren't allowed access to the court, it's never been entirely clear what the stealing secrets bit was really about. Rio sacked the men and was accused of abandoning them. Hu's parents are in China and reports say he is with them.

HOUSEKEEPING!
Keeping you updated on some recent stories.

CAVE BOYS UPDATE – One of the rescue divers says the group went into the caves for an ‘initiation’. Reports say the challenge was to make it to the end of the cave, write their name on the wall and make it back but a flash flood left the group stranded. Someone’s going to be in big trouble…

WILSON TO APPEAL – Adelaide's Archbishop Philip Wilson has confirmed he will appeal his conviction for concealing child abuse and will not resign from his position. However, he remains stood aside from his duties with the Catholic Church.

HAWAII BANS SUNSCREENS – The governor of the US holiday state has agreed to ban the sale of sunscreens containing two chemicals believed to harm coral. Some of the most popular sunscreens on the market will not be for sale in the state from 2021.

RIOLI WALKS AWAY FROM AFL CAREER
Twenty-eight-year-old AFL star Cyril Rioli shocked the footy world yesterday announcing he was quitting the game he has loved for a decade. The champion Hawthorn player shocked fans and teammates yesterday telling them that he’s lost his desire to play and wants to return to Darwin to be with his family. Rioli’s father suffered a near-fatal heart attack last year.

And while we have you… Nigeria’s soccer captain John Obi Mikel played last week’s World Cup match against Argentina after receiving a ransom demand for the release of his kidnapped father. Extraordinarily, he didn’t tell anyone about it before the game (which they lost). His father has been released.

SANDSHOE DIPLOMACY
“It’s coming back big time,” said Brand Collective brand manager John Szwede referring to Chinese consumer trends towards shopping in stores. But he could well have been referring to the good ole Volley sandshoe. After the ‘Beyonce of China’ Faye Wong was snapped in a pair, the humble Volley has a dedicated store that’s going great guns, according to today’s Australian Financial Review (paywall). We were Dunlop KT26 kids… Maybe sharing more of our iconic footwear is the way back into China’s good books? Wait until the see RM Wiliams boots...

SQUIZ THE DAY

ABS Data Release - Corrective Services Family and Domestic Violence Data Project, July

Venezuelan National Day

Anniversary of the death of John Curtin, the 14th Prime Minister of Australia, while in office (1945)

Anniversary of the launch of the modern bikini (1946)