Squiz Today – Tuesday, 7 August

SQUIZ SAYINGS

“FONGO”

You’ve heard of FOMO (the fear-of-missing-out). The latest buzzword in the property market is FONGO – the fear-of-not-getting-out. It’s a state of mind besetting debt-laden property owners worried about the falling market. That's still better than FOCO (fear-of-carb-outages)…

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LOMBOK REELS FROM EARTHQUAKE DEVASTATION

THE SQUIZ
The key points from Sunday night’s 6.9-magnitude earthquake affecting Lombok and the Gili Islands are:

• The death toll has risen to at least 98. More than 239 were injured, and thousands are homeless. Reports say more than 50% of Lombok’s buildings have been badly damaged or destroyed.

• The quake and its aftershocks were powerful and felt in western Bali. The Australian consulate said it does not believe any of the hundreds of Aussies in the area at the time have been seriously injured or killed.

• Travellers trying to leave Lombok are stuck at the airport and have been told it could be days before they can get a flight out.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Rescuers are searching for survivors. Restoring power across the island is critical to the rescue and recovery mission. And then it will be a long road back. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he would contact Indonesian President Joko Widodo to offer Australia's help. And model Chrissy Teigen can now relax…

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?
Indonesia straddles the Pacific’s “Ring of Fire” making it prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In fact, it’s said to be one of the most volatile regions in the world. It’s that volatility that resulted in a magnitude-9.1 earthquake off Sumatra in December 2004 setting off a tsunami that killed 230,000 people.

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SQUIZ THE REST

QUICK POLITICAL NEWS WRAP
UNDERCOVER REGULATOR – No, it’s not the latest reality TV show. ASIC staff will be embedded inside the banks and AMP to keep an eye on governance and compliance as part of "new supervisory approach" that will cost taxpayers $70 million. 

FRYDENBERG FEELS QUEENSLAND AND VICTORIA’S NEG - The Labor leaders of those states say they need evidence the Coalition party room backs the policy before offering any support this week. 

JOYCE’S DARKNESS – With a book coming out, former deputy PM Barnaby Joyce has outlined his depression, womanising, drinking and suicidal thoughts. “Winston Churchill had his black dog: mine was a half-crazed cattle dog,” he writes. He says he’s in a better headspace with partner Vikki Campion and new son Sebastian.

GRIM DISCOVERY IN NEW MEXICO
Authorities found 11 malnourished children aged 1-15yo living in squalor in a remote desert compound yesterday. Five adults were at the compound, two were heavily armed men. Three women, believed to be the children's mothers, were detained but later released. It's not clear why the group were at the site, but sheriff Jerry Hogrefe said the women and children "were brainwashed and feel great intimidation from the men that were in control of this facility".

DRINKS FOR POKIES PROGRAM ACKNOWLEDGED
ALH Group (ie the more than 320 pubs business that is 75% owned by Woolworths) yesterday fessed up to a program whereby staff gave free drinks to ‘high-value’ pokies playing patrons. This happened in more than 20 of its Queensland, NSW and SA venues during the second half of last year. ALH says the problems are being fixed following the investigation sparked by Tassie MP Andrew Wilkie. "If they really want to protect their corporate reputation, frankly, they (Woolies) should get out of poker machines," Wilkie said yesterday.

ITCHING FOR AN INJECTOR
Anaphylactics beware – the EpiPen shortage is ongoing. But there is light at the end of the allergy-terror-inspired tunnel. The regulator says supply from the manufacturer is increasing, but it's aware that many are having difficulty getting their hands on the lifesaving injection. “Patients who are still having difficulty obtaining an EpiPen should contact their pharmacy for assistance,” the Therapeutic Goods Administration said yesterday.

GAFF GAFFE COULD BE ASSAULT
West Coast Eagles player Andrew Gaff is under pressure for an on-field hit on Fremantle Dockers’ rookie Andrew Brayshaw leaving him with a broken jaw and three displaced teeth. Brayshaw has had surgery and will sit out the rest of the season. Some say it's more than a footy incident and there are calls for Gaff to face criminal charges. But Team Gaff says it was a chest punch gone wrong. And in another twist, the Gaff and Brayshaw families are said to be good friends. The AFL tribunal will meet and consider the incident tonight.

VALE NANCY TUCKERMAN
The woman behind one of the world’s most famous women, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, died last week aged 89yo. A lifelong friend of the first lady, Nancy Tuckerman was Onassis’ social secretary during her last few months in the White House and was her on-and-off spokeswoman until her death in 1994. Despite being a well-placed eyewitness to history, Tuckerman never wrote a book on her experiences, but she contributed to one on good manners. “The rules of basic etiquette are guided by two principles: being practical and being considerate. I mean, it’s not that difficult,” she said.

And while we have you… Joel Robuchon, the man crowned the ‘chef of the century’ in 1990, has died aged 73yo. For many years Robuchon had the most Michelin stars in the world for his restaurant Jamin in Paris where he trained emerging chefs including Gordon Ramsay. His signature dish – mashed potatoes. Our kind of guy. 

SQUIZ THE DAY

2.30pm (AEST) - Reserve Bank interest rates decision

Tonight - Australian population hits 25 million

ABS Data Release - Building Approvals, June; Livestock and Meat, June