Squiz Today – Wednesday, 31 May

SQUIZ SAYINGS

“Heavens above. If you told people what has just happened no one would believe it unless they saw it with their own eyes.”

Luckily for this Brazilian midwife someone filmed it – a newborn baby girl walking. Well, in truth she’s had a fair bit of assistance but credit where it’s due! It gets more and more competitive for the young’uns these days…

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QUEENSLAND GUNMAN MEETS VIOLENT END

THE SQUIZ
The 21-hour siege came to an end yesterday with Queensland Police shooting dead Rick Maddison, the man accused of killing policeman Brett Forte on Monday afternoon. Forte and his partner stopped Maddison at Seventeen Mile in the Lockyer Valley, west of Brisbane. It’s there Maddison opened fire with an automatic weapon, thought to be a machine gun, killing Forte. Maddison fled and holed up overnight on a property nearby. Police said Maddison fired on them as he attempted to flee yesterday - they returned fire and he was killed. Reports say Maddison had it in for the police.

WHO WAS RICK MADDISON?
Maddison was a career criminal who was wanted on domestic violence and gun charges. He had served time in jail and had a string of previous drug, assault, stealing and willful damage charges and convictions over many years. A friend told the Courier Mail that the death of friend (champion jockey Stathi Katsidis - he rode the winner in the AJC Australian Derby in 2010) and his time in jail had “mixed him up”. Apparently Maddison was with Katsidis when he died in October 2010 from a drugs and alcohol bender. 

WHO WAS BRETT FORTE?
Senior-Constable Forte was a career copper from a family of career coppers. His dad is a retired policeman, and his wife Susan and brother-in-law currently serve. Many remarked he died doing a job he loved. Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said; “If ever a person epitomised the broader police family, Brett is it. As you would well imagine, the whole family is devastated. Both his own family, the family of his wife and their extended family.”

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SQUIZ THE REST

SYDNEY AND MELBOURNE HOUSE PRICES DOWN IN MAY
Property data house CoreLogic were like kids at Christmas - they couldn’t wait to share their May numbers. Property prices have moved into negative territory for Sydney (-1.3%) and Melbourne (-1.8%). They say apartment values are weaker than house values, and regulatory restrictions on investor and interest-only lending have led to some heat coming out of Oz’s two largest property markets. CoreLogic says Perth is still in a 'correction' phase, and Adelaide and Brisbane are up, but under 1%. So maybe a half serving of smashed avo this weekend?

HANSON DOESN’T LIKE THE SOUND OF HER VOICE ON TAPE
None of us do, but usually not because a former ally has covertly taped you talking about potential electoral law breaches (unless there’s something you’d like to share?). Hanson sounds worried about leaks on how she came to have her plane. The Electoral Commission is investigating, but for their part, property developer Bill McNee has denied donating it, and One Nation has denied breaching any disclosure laws. This one just won't go away.

MOTHER JAILED FOR CHILD DEATHS
Akon Guode has been sentenced to 26.5 years jail for killing three of her children (4yo twins Hanger and Madit, and 16mo Bol) and attempting to kill a fourth child (5yo Alual). Goude pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder after driving them into a lake in south-west Melbourne two years ago. Reports say Goude was a survivor of the civil war in south Sudan (where she witnessed the murder of her husband) and was suffering post-traumatic stress and depression. The Justice said she will likely be deported at the end of her sentence.

DICTATOR NORIEGA DEAD
General Manuel Noriega, former military leader of Panama, has died at 83yo. Noriega is a blast from the 80s – he was friendly with the US for a time until his removal when they invaded Panama in 1989. He was subsequently jailed in the US, France and Panama for corruption, drugs, money laundering and murder charges. He died after cerebral bleeding. Apparently he wore red underwear to keep the ‘evil eye’ at bay. Hey, even dictators have their quirks…

QUICK ODDS AND SODS WRAP
Rolf Harris’ trial has ended with the jury being discharged after not being able to reach a verdict. He was being tried for allegedly groping three teenagers in the 70s and 80s. "My wife is in ill health and we simply want to spend our remaining time together in peace," Harris said in a statement.

Tiger Woods says alcohol was not involved in his DUI arrest – it was a reaction to the drugs he is taking after recent back surgery. He was found asleep at the wheel of his car with the engine running. He says he accepts full responsibility.

Ariana Grande is returning to Manchester for a benefit concert this Sunday – this time she’ll be joined by Coldplay, Usher, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Pharrell and Niall Horan. Proceeds will benefit the victims and families of the bombing.

Tassie Police officers looked after a drunk man on Saturday night and took a selfie with him on his phone so he could remember how he got home = social media sensations. It all makes perfect sense.

SOO ON TONIGHT!
No, SOO isn’t some visiting symphony orchestra – it’s rugby league’s State of Origin! Yee-haw! Overdoing it, do you think? All you really need to know is:

1. It’s on tonight – at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.

2. This is the first of three games.

3. The betting market is supporting a cockroach win, but betting is tight.

4. JT is out injured (that’s Johnathan Thurston, Qld captain), the Hayne-Train is in (that’s Jarryd Hayne post-American football), and Billy Slater was ripped-off (he’s an Origin superstar but was left out in favour of in-form Darius Boyd).

5. Oh, and it’s a game between Queensland and NSW, but you knew that, right?

SQUIZ THE DAY

12.30pm (AEST) - Andrew Colvin, Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police addresses the National Press Club - Canberra

8.00pm (AEST) - State of Origin - Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

World No-Tobacco Day

75th anniversary of the commencement of Japanese Navy midget submarine attacks on Sydney Harbour during WWII