Squiz Today – 6 December 2023

A new blow in the immigration detention brawl

The Squiz

There’s a whole lot of heat on the Albanese Government at the moment after it was confirmed yesterday that 3 offenders recently released from immigration detention a couple of weeks ago are already in trouble with the law. That includes one convicted sex offender who’s facing fresh charges of indecent assault – that’s 65yo Aliyawar Yawari, who was arrested on Saturday night at an Adelaide hotel. It prompted the Coalition to demand the resignations of Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil and Immigration Minister Andrew Giles. Coalition Immigration spokesman Dan Tehan says they “need to own up to their disastrous handling of this issue”. 

Back it up a bit…

Remember in early November the High Court ruled it was illegal to keep people in immigration detention indefinitely? That led to 148 people being released, and O’Neil and Giles conceded the majority of them were serious offenders – including convicted murderers and convicted rapists. So they are now scrambling to pass laws to get most of those men back behind bars through measures allowing the ‘preventative detention’ of those considered a high risk of reoffending. And while the Coalition’s been scathing of the government’s handling of the whole affair, those laws will pass Parliament this week – Peter Dutton says “we’ll support bills that are going to keep Australians safe”.

Anything else happening in Canberra?

We’re glad you asked because it’s going to be a big day… National Cabinet is meeting – that’s when the Premiers and Chief Ministers get together with the PM. And there’s one agenda item getting a lot of attention. The Albanese Government is pushing the states/territories to help rein in the costs of the National Disability Insurance Scheme after the scheme was forecast to cost more than $100 billion each year by 2032. PM Anthony Albanese wants the states/territories to take back responsibility for treating early developmental problems and mild autism because they weren’t meant to be part of the original NDIS. So far, the states are pretty yeah/nah to the idea – NSW Premier Chris Minns is one who says it’s “not likely” a deal will be struck today.

Counting the costs of war

Not happy in New Zealand

Thousands of Maori and supportive citizens marched in New Zealand yesterday in protest against a plan by the new National Party-led government to roll back the use of Maori language, review affirmative action policies, and assess how the country’s founding treaty document is interpreted in legislation. The Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840 between the British and the Maori people, is a cornerstone of Kiwi life, so the review is no small undertaking. New Zealand has an active Maori party, and its co-leader Debbie Ngarewa Packer said, “We will not accept being second-rate citizens and being relegated backwards by this government.” The protests coincided with the opening day of the new Kiwi parliament, led by newly sworn-in PM Christopher Luxon. 

Back to the future/classics

Here’s one for you – the price of gold is at an all-time high, currently selling at over US$2,000 per ounce. In Aussie measurements, that’s about $3,030 for 28g… The reason is that gold is seen as a safe investment in times of economic uncertainty, and prices leapt after the 7 October invasion of Israel by Hamas. Also buoying the price – and the price of other investments – was a speech by America’s central banker Jerome Powell, who suggested that interest rate hikes in the US might be finished. Riding an upward trajectory as well is Bitcoin, on hopes that US regulators are about to approve exchange-traded funds (ETFs) linked to the cryptocurrency… ETFs can be traded like stocks (a.k.a. with normal brokers and not on questionable crypto exchanges), which Bitcoin enthusiasts reckon might bring more people to invest in the digital money. Insert chin-scratching emoji… 

Charles on tour

His Royal Highness the King of Australia and Queen Camilla will be coming our way next year, royal whisperers say. It would be his first in-person g’day since he became the King/our head of state. Details are scarce at this stage, although reports say Charles will time his trip to coincide with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa in October 2024. Charles’ last trip to Oz was in 2018 for the opening of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games – which is a bit awks, given the 2026 Games were dumped by Victoria earlier this year. It’s not just Aussies turning their noses up, though, with the UK saying yesterday that they won’t rescue the Games if the event can’t find a new host city. Talk about leaving your sporty kids out in the cold…

Drumroll for the movers and shakers…

TIME’s Person of the Year announcement is almost here, and the publication has released its shortlist… A reminder that TIME isn’t choosing the best and fairest – instead, they try to rank the most influential person (or group, or concept) from the past year. Without further ado… Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and King Charles were the heads of state on the shortlist, while OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and US central banker Jerome Powell (that’s his second mention today…) also made the list. So too did the Hollywood strikers (who won deals from the movie studios) and Trump’s prosecutors (who filed 90+ charges against the former US president). And in the culture space, give us a wave, Taylor Swift and Barbie. The winner will be announced early Thursday morning our time. 

The British Museum is ending its year as a Christmas cracker joke after a growing awareness of its ‘borrowed’ display items was followed by the institution having 1,500 items stolen itself. The gag – “Did you hear about the Christmas cake on display in the British Museum? It was Stollen.” If you need a hint of why that’s hilarious, here you go… 

The richest woman in Oz has added another feather to her cap/coat to her wardrobe… Gina Rinehart purchased Aussie company Driza-Bone following fellow Aussie mining magnates Andrew and Nicola Forrest, who added the Akubra hat company to their assets list, which includes RM Williams. 

Fans of video game Grand Theft Auto have been waiting a decade for the 6th instalment in the franchise, but they’ve been placated by the early release of its trailer this week. The only downside? The game itself isn’t due to drop until 2025.

10.30am (AEDT) – Men’s Cricket – Prime Minister’s XI v Pakistan – Canberra

12.30pm (AEDT) – Chair of the Net Zero Economy Agency, Greg Combet, will address the National Press Club – Canberra

2.00pm (AEDT) – Women’s Soccer Friendly – Australia v Canada – Vancouver, Canada

National cabinet meeting – Canberra

ABS Data Release – Personal Income in Australia, 2020-21 financial year; Jobs in Australia, 2020-21 financial year; Australian National Accounts: Tourism Satellite Account 2022-23 financial year; Australian National Accounts: National Income, Expenditure and Product September

Finland’s Independence Day

Armed Forces Day in Ukraine

The Australian Space Forum – Sydney

Saint Nicholas Day in Western Christian countries

Anniversary of:

• the ratification of the 13th Amendment of the United States Constitution abolishing slavery (1865)
• the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty that created Northern Ireland (1921)
• the bloody water polo match between the USSR and Hungary at the Melbourne Olympics (1956)