Squiz Today – Wednesday, 22 March

PAY EQUALITY FOR FEMALE CRICKETERS – HOWZAT?

THE SQUIZ
Cricket Australia yesterday put an offer on the table that would dramatically increase the pay of Australia’s female cricketers. International women players could see their salaries increase by 125% (from $79,000 to $179,000), while women’s league and Big Bash competition players could more than double their pay (from $22,000 to $52,000). CA boss James Sutherland said the offer gives women the opportunity to be truly professional cricketers for the first time.

SOUNDS GOOD, WHAT’S THE CATCH?
It’s possible CA have bowled up a bit of a googly here. The deal is part of a pay offer for all players – including the blokes. Men are currently paid under a model where 26% of certain cricket revenue is shared by domestic and international players. The new proposal will offer revenue sharing to international players only, and cap domestic players’ pay. Currently, the average international male player is paid a base of $816,000, and with match payments and other bonuses, pay can go over $1.1 million. Male domestic players currently get $200,000 on average.

WILL PLAYERS BE BOWLED OVER?
There's no word yet on what the players (male and female) think of the offer. Previous reports have said that Aussie captain (and alleged fart joke-maker) Steve Smith and other senior players are not supportive of changes to the revenue share model. The female were in line with the men, but maybe the sweet deal might see the women change their minds. An important variable here: both the men and women are playing old cricketing rivals England next summer. Surely the opportunity to crush the Poms is payment in itself.

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IT'S HUG A BILLIONAIRE DAY!
Speaking of pay days, Forbes has released their rich list. Internationally, Bill Gates is top of the pops with estimated wealth of $86 billion. Australia’s list (in $US) was headed by Gina Rinehart ($15b, mining), then Blair Parry-Okeden ($12.2b, media), a low-key US-born/new Australian citizen who lives in country NSW. Rounding out the list is Harry Triguboff ($8.5b, property), Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest ($5.7b, mining), Frank Lowy ($5.6b, shopping centres), Anthony Pratt ($4.4b, packaging). James Packer is at $3 billion, dropping half his estimated wealth since 2014. Please make an effort to celebrate/commiserate with your local billionaire today.

PROPOSAL TO CHANGE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION LAWS
Have you seen ‘18C’ in the news a lot lately and wondered what it all meant? Us too. Here’s the drill. PM Malcolm Turnbull announced yesterday the government wants to change the racial discrimination act, particularly the provisions known as 18C that make it unlawful to ‘offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate’ anyone on the basis of their race. They want to change it to ‘harass or intimidate’. With Labor and independent senators unsupportive, the changes won’t pass. So why bother? Well, there’s been a couple of recent cases (think incident at QUT and investigation into a Bill Leak cartoon) that raised concerns about how the law works in practice. Also, the move is in part an internal stakeholder management exercise for Turnbull. He needs to settle the troops down and show he’s listening on issues the party sees as important.

IVANKA STEPS UP AS FBI CONFIRMS TRUMP/RUSSIA INVESTIGATION
You know it’s seriously weird times when a story like this feels a little business as usual. Yesterday the FBI confirmed it is investigating Team Trump’s connections with Russia and if there was any assistance from them in the election campaign. A. Big. Deal. News also that the first daughter Ivanka Trump will take an office at the White House. She won’t have a title but it’s expected she will advise her father on a range of issues, including the women-at-work stuff she's passionate about.

VISIT BY CHINA’S PREMIER ALREADY YIELDS RESULTS
China’s Premier Li Keqiang (he’s the highest ranked administrative official in the government) arrives in Australia today, and already the good news is flowing. China yesterday said it would relax regulation on the importation of stuff like vitamins and baby formula bought by Chinese citizens online. That saw besieged baby formula producer Bellamy’s get a share price bump of 15.7%, and vitamin business Blackmores (up 13.3%) and A2 Milk (up 4.8%) also had a good day. Someone else we reckon who would be celebrating is Jessica Rudd, daughter of former PM Kevin Rudd, who runs an e-commerce business in China. There's also reports there's a possibility we could send more beef to China too, great news for our farmers. Welcome to Australia, Mr Li!

MAY HAS HER DAY WITH VOGUE
Following the leather pant saga of December, UK PM Theresa May has tempted fate and been interviewed by US Vogue. If you’re into politician-life-story-meets-fashion, check it out here.

SQUIZ THE DAY

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrives in Australia

Anniversary of the 2016 Brussell bombings that killed 32 and injured 316 people

Brisbane World Science Festival kicks off, finishes Sunday