Squiz Today – Tuesday, 28 September

THE SQUIZ
Locked down Aussies are starting to get a hint of what life will be like when 70-80% of over 16yos are fully vaccinated. Under a plan released by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, from next month, fully jabbed residents will be able to travel anywhere in the state, stand up and have a drink at a pub, and have people over among other things. The ACT is also hoping for a happy October with its plan to ease restrictions. As for Victoria, further freedoms are in the pipeline when the state reaches its vaccination targets. Not feeling the freedom vibes just yet: those sans vax. 

WHAT ABOUT INTERSTATE TRAVEL?
We’ve got a Squiz Shortcut that covers how border closures work. But on how things stand today:

• NSW and Victoria – despite new daily cases and lockdowns, they want to see open borders when vaccination rates hit 80%.

• The ACT – well, it’s got new cases to deal with, so watch this space.

• South Oz – it’s not making promises, but once 80% of over 16yos are vaccinated, it could be game on for travellers.

• Tassie – it wants 90% of over 12yos vaccinated before it opens up…

• The Top End – it’s likely to maintain quarantine requirements for travellers from areas with new local cases regardless of vaccination rates.

• Queensland – Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk wants to see the updated modelling at National Cabinet on Friday before making any promises.

• And Western Oz – forget it in 2021. Premier Mark McGowan says talk to the hand because the western face ain’t listenin’…

YIKES THAT’S COMPLICATED…
Welcome to cooperative federalism… And it saw Qantas yesterday cancel most of its flights scheduled from Western Oz to Victoria and NSW over the summer. Perth-to-London flights are off until at least April 2022 – it will be replaced with a daily Melbourne-Darwin-London service from December (aka when the airline expects the international border will be open). It’s a reminder that many Aussies could be travelling overseas before they are allowed into Western Oz…

Leaders urged to think of the children

If climate change continues on its current trajectory, the children of today will experience 3 times as many natural disasters as their grandparents, a first-of-its-kind study published yesterday in Science reports. Lead author Wim Thiery said it’s the first attempt to quantify climate change’s “intergenerational inequality”. Sparing younger generations the worst that climate change could bring will be at the forefront of world leaders’ minds this November at the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow. With Oz under pressure to commit to more ambitious emissions reduction targets, PM Scott Morrison hasn’t committed to attending. Labor leader Anthony Albanese says a no-show would mean “he’s embarrassed about Australia’s position”.

R Kelly found guilty

American R&B singer and producer R Kelly has been found guilty on all 9 counts that he faced in his sex trafficking trial in Brooklyn federal court. During a 5.5 week trial, prosecutors accused him of using his celebrity status to lure women and underage girls with promises of jumpstarting their careers. He then demanded their strict obedience and would punish them if they failed. Several witnesses said Kelly instilled fear in those who did not fulfil his every need, including sexually. Kelly did not testify in his defence and has long denied the many allegations from many women against him. He faces a long prison sentence – that is yet to come. And he is facing charges in other states.

Merkel’s team takes an election dive

Germany’s centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) have claimed victory over Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) in the weekend’s national election. The parties have governed together for years, and now they want to form a new government, possibly without the other. The CDU recorded its worst-ever election result, and SPD leader Olaf Scholz says it shows voters want change. With all that political wrangling and uncertainty, Merkel isn’t going anywhere just yet – analysts say it could take the rest of the year to sort it out. Frohe Weihnachten…

Instagram for kids on pause

Since announcing the development of an Instagram Kids app in March, parent company Facebook has faced criticism that it would increase cyberbullying and be a haven for online predators. And then, a couple of weeks ago, the Wall Street Journal reported that Facebook had data showing ​​Instagram made body image issues worse for one in 3 teenage girls. That’s “not accurate,” Facebook said. Still, the social media giant said overnight that plans for an “Instagram experience” for under-13yos have been paused. Instagram boss Adam Mosseri says he still believes it’s better to have a version of the platform that’s set up for children because “the reality is that kids are already online.”

And the winner is…

They say you should follow the money, and last night Manly’s star fullback Tom Trbojevic was named the NRL’s best and fairest of 2021. He claimed the Dally M Medal with 35 points – that put him 5 points clear of Penrith’s Nathan Cleary. Nicknamed Tommy Turbo because he can make realistic car noises (just jokes – he can run fast…), injury meant he played 15 of a possible 24 regular-season matches – the fewest played by the winner in the history of the award. Speaking of victories… Moulin Rouge! The Musical took home the lion’s share of gongs at yesterday’s Tony Awards. The musical is based on Baz Luhrmann’s film from 2001, and it is the first Australian-produced show to have originated on Broadway. It won 10 awards, including the prestigious Best Musical gong. All the winners are here, but it’s the red carpet gallery you’re here for…

Paddler Jess Fox is a world champion in a new event. She bombed out of the events she won medals in at the Olympics, but in her 3rd go at the Extreme Slalom, she took the gold in Slovakia yesterday. It’s wild…

Yokozuna Hakuho, the winner of a record 45 grand sumo tournament titles, has decided to call it a career at 36yo. At 1.92 meters tall and weighing 155kg, he goes out with 1,187 career wins and a lengthy list of records. Not on that list: becoming the heaviest wrestler in history.

Think Rome, and it’s easy to picture the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain or straight-up pizza. But for locals, wild boars trotting down the street searching for food have become a daily sight. No one ever said Rome was boaring…

ABS Data Release – Retail Trade, August

Right to Know Day

World Rabies Day

Anniversary of:
• the release of Stevie Wonder’s album Songs in the Key of Life (1976)
• the release of Olivia Newton-John’s single Physical (1981)
• SpaceX launching the world’s first private spacecraft, the Falcon 1, into orbit (2008)