Squiz Today / 13 November 2019

Squiz Today – Wednesday, 13 November

THREE MINUTE SQUIZ

"I think that the success I’ve had has been highly correlated with my willingness to stay up later and push harder than many others."

Said Natalie Malligan, General Manager of Uber Air in Australia, who has a bit on her plate... Aside from being a mum and getting an exciting new venture quite literally off the ground, she's a serial entrepreneur who doesn't own a TV. Cos, time... Please welcome Natalie to the Three Minute Squiz.

This Three Minute Squiz is presented by our partner at The Squiz, Uber. 


‘WORST IS YET TO COME’ SAY FIRE AUTHORITIES

THE SQUIZ
Yesterday’s conditions were as bad in NSW as many expected with high temperatures and strong winds exacerbating the fire crisis in the north of the state. Three hundred new fires were sparked yesterday, including an emergency 15km from Sydney’s CBD, and a dozen homes were lost or damaged. And as temperatures came down in NSW after last night’s ‘southerly buster’, authorities in Queensland are expecting hot and windy conditions today.

WHAT’S THE STATE OF PLAY?
• In NSW, more than 50 fires are burning, most are not contained, and four are burning at the emergency level (down from 13 last night). The worst of it is currently west of Coffs Harbour, and near Forster, Port Macquarie, Taree, Kempsey, Lithgow, and the Clarence Valley.
• Queensland is battling more than 55 fires, with seven at the ‘watch and act’ level. The most severe are near Yeppoon, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast hinterland, and south of Stanthorpe. Authorities hope things don’t escalate today with disaster coordinator Steve Gollschewski saying “things could change rapidly."
• Over in the west, residents of Bullsbrook, a north-eastern suburb of Perth, faced an emergency yesterday with a fire has been downgraded. And two homes were lost and two people injured in the Monday’s fire near Port Lincoln in South Oz.

AND THE POLITICIANS KEEP WEIGHING IN?
Yep. Former Nationals’ leader Barnaby Joyce yesterday continued to pursue the Greens for raising the links between the fires and climate change. "I acknowledge that the two people who died were most likely people who voted for the Green party so I am not going to start attacking them, that's the last thing I want to do," he said. Also receiving raised-eye emojis was Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John for his comment yesterday that major party politicians were “no better than a bunch of arsonists”. Calling for calm, PM Scott Morrison said; “The last thing that people in real need and urgent crisis need at the moment is hearing politicians shout at each other. It’s completely unhelpful.”

If you’re wondering how you can help, the Red Cross and Salvation Army are accepting donations to help those affected by the fires. Donations can also be made via the checkout at Woolworths Supermarkets to benefit the Salvo appeal.


SQUIZ THE REST


HIGH COURT TO MOVE ON PELL APPEAL

Today’s the day Cardinal George Pell will find out if the High Court will hear his final appeal, or if all legal roads have come to a dead end. Currently serving a maximum six-year prison sentence for abusing two choirboys at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne in the 90s, the 78yo’s initial appeal was dismissed in a Victorian court August. The High Court did not ask the legal teams to present their arguments for and against the appeal. Melbourne Law School professor Jeremy Gans said that’s generally a bad sign for those seeking to have their appeal heard. “There is nothing general about this case,” he added.


HILLARY WEIGHS IN ON UK’S RUSSIA REPORT

Like some other big western democracies, there are allegations Russia has spied, subverted and generally been right gits by meddling in the UK’s civic life. And there’s a report into it - but it hasn’t been released by PM Boris Johnson’s government… Now that it’s in the middle of an election campaign, it won’t happen until after the 12 December polling day. Senior government MPs say that’s appropriate because they only got their hands on it a month ago. But Hillary Clinton, candidate for US President in 2016 and famous victim of Russia’s meddling, yesterday said voters had a right to know if there’s a problem. Not mincing her words, Clinton said it was "inexplicable and shameful" the report won’t be released in time for the election. In the UK on a book tour, the unusual intervention stole some headlines yesterday…


NINE FACES HEADWINDS

Australia’s biggest media company, Nine Entertainment, wound back its profit growth expectations for the financial year from a circa 10% to “low single digit(s)”. The advertising market is weak, CEO Hugh Marks and chairman Peter Costello said yesterday. And with advertisers enjoying Nine’s radio host Alan Jones’s assessment of Kiwi PM Jacinda Ardern as much as America’s Dancing with the Stars’ judges liked Sean Spicer’s tango, let’s just say it didn’t help things… With his former Treasurer’s hat on, Costello said restrictions on lending drove consumer confidence down, which has spooked brands that would normally be spending their ad bucks with broadcasters/publishers like Nine. Investors weren’t convinced - Nine’s share price fell almost 5.7% yesterday.


MOVIE’S SUCCESS NOTHING TO JOKE ABOUT

Already the world’s most successful R-rated movie of all time, Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker is now the most profitable comic book movie ever. Made on a $91.2 million budget, it’s made almost $1.4 billion at the box office. People who can do maths say that means it’s made more than 15 times what it cost. The secret to its success? Film journalist Helen O'Hara told the BBC that "comic book fans are going to see it because it's a comic book movie, but it's also marketed as a comic book movie for people who are too cool for comic book movies.” Got it? Good…


MORE ACCUSATIONS OF RUSSIAN MEDDLING

This time feathers have been ruffled over New Zealand’s vote for their bird of the year. With a large number of votes flying in from Russia, some Kiwi bird enthusiasts (as in people who live in New Zealand who like birds, not fans of this cutie…) are calling fowl. Organisers say they are confident their nest is in order with an endangered yellow-eyed penguin, the hoiho, declared the winner. The contest has a history of people squawking about it - 300 fraudulent votes were cast by Aussies backing the shag last year.

SQUIZ THE DAY

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