Friday, 13 October - Am I ready?

Good morning, it’s Friday, 13 October (spooky…). In your Squiz Today…

  • It’s only one more sleep until Aussies head to the polls for the Voice to Parliament referendum

  • US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has landed in Israel for talks

  • And a classic potato gratin for your weekend

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

“As a matter of equity, comfort, and safety, along with pride in the college, we maintain clear expectations for student appearance and grooming.”

Said school principal Janine Biggin of a ban on “excessive hairstyles”, including mullets and dreadlocks. If the rules are ignored, she says she “will be obliged to issue consequences to assist the students to be responsible for their choices”. Which is one of the most passive-aggressive phrases we’ve seen for a long time (and plan to amend for our personal use)...

It’s almost time…

The Squiz

Tomorrow’s the day when millions of Aussies will have their say on enshrining an Indigenous Voice to Parliament in our nation’s Constitution - and the campaigns are making their last-ditch efforts to convince the almost 10% of undecided voters to come their way. On the ‘Yes’ side, PM Anthony Albanese hopes the exercise will result in recognition for Indigenous Aussies. “We're really privileged to share this country with the oldest continuous culture on Earth. And I'm hoping, of course, that on Saturday, we put that fact of history into our Constitution,” he said. As for leading ‘No’ campaigner Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, she hopes the country will come together after the vote. "No matter what the outcome is, Australia has gone through a pretty rough patch with this referendum," she said yesterday.

What do I need to know?

Look no further than our Voice referendum resource centre… But in short, the ‘Yes’ campaign says a Voice - which would be a formal body made up of Indigenous representatives that gives advice to the federal government - would give Indigenous Aussies a say in policies that affect them. But 'No' campaigners say it's unclear how it would function or what effect it would have. The polls point to the referendum going down, with the final YouGov poll published yesterday showing support for the ‘Yes’ vote at 38%, compared to 56% for the ‘No’ camp... And heading into tomorrow, the Electoral Commission says more than 4 million Aussies have voted early (which you’d have to think will only increase significantly today), and 2 million applied for a postal vote.

So what happens after the vote?

It’ll be time to start name-dropping a double majority... And put this time in your day planner - ABC’s election guru Antony Green reckons we’ll know the result by 7.30pm (AEDT). If the ‘Yes’ vote defies the polls to win - the Albanese Government and Indigenous groups will kick start the process of designing how the Voice will actually work. And if it's a 'No' vote, Albanese has said he’ll walk away from the idea of the Voice, and Indigenous leaders like Pat Dodson have warned Australia faces a reckoning after a divisive campaign. Whatever the result, brace yourself for an onslaught of analysis come Sunday morning and next week. Check you on the flipside…

You asked, we’ve answered…

If you’re after opinion-free, agenda-free information on the Voice referendum, have a look through our resource centre, especially our ‘Ask The Squiz’ series. We’ve covered questions on race, treaty, the makeup of the Voice, existing Indigenous bodies, funding and so much more. Check it out.

And to help with tomorrow’s logistics, to find out where you can vote, plug your postcode in here, and check here if you’re after a democracy sausage. You’re so very welcome.

A light at the end of the tunnel

Across the world, there are 388 million women and girls living in extreme poverty. They often can't access the education and jobs they need, and they're more likely to experience abuse and violence, making financial independence even harder. Now in its 10th year, Caritas Australia's Women for the World campaign is all about addressing the imbalance. If you're keen to support, you can find out more here.

Squiz the Rest

A troubled weekend ahead

Organisers say a “static demonstration” will replace a pro-Palestine march in Sydney on Sunday after NSW Police rejected their application following a rally on Monday that featured anti-semitic chants. On Wednesday, PM Anthony Albanese vowed to protect the Jewish community as a vigil was held in Sydney's east following reports of anti-semitic threats. Rallies are also being discussed in other states, so that's something to look out for this weekend… In Israel, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived, and talks are underway on the evacuation of foreign nationals - including Aussies - from Gaza, while Arab leaders gathered in Cairo to discuss the humanitarian crisis that’s unfolding in the Palestinian territory. That situation will continue to deteriorate with Israel preparing for a ground assault on Gaza. The death toll has reached more than 2,700 people - 1,300 in Israel and 1,400 in Gaza.

Kia ora, it’s election time

It’s not just Aussies getting their vote on this weekend - our Kiwi cuzzie bros are also heading to the ballot box for their general election. Labour's been in power there since 2017 - but their fortunes have been on the slide, with the cost of living (especially food prices and housing) shaping up as voters' biggest concern. Opinion polls are consistently showing neither Labour nor the National Party are likely to pick up enough seats to govern alone - but the Nats are more likely to form a coalition with the right-leaning ACT Party and NZ First. And if NZ First sounds familiar, it's because its leader, Winston Peters, has been a fixture of Kiwi politics for 44 years - serving as Deputy PM and Foreign Minister in governments of both stripes. The current PM, Chris Hipkins, says he won’t deal with Peters - leaving the Nationals’ Christopher Luxton in the box seat to negotiate come Saturday night… #SquizShortcut

Birkenstock flops

The flügelhorns were out to trumpet the German comfy shoe giant's debut on the New York Stock Exchange - before its share price promptly plummeted… The company priced its shares at US$46 and was confident investors would agree after a spike in sales of its cork-soled sandals since the pandemic years, as well as a recent cameo in the blockbuster Barbie movie. That meant it launched with an $8.6 billion valuation. But by the end of the day, Birkenstock’s share price had fallen 12.6% to $40.20/share, sending its valuation down to $7.5 billion. It’s the sort of pain anyone who's broken in a new pair of Arizonas would know… It’s a similar story to other big-name brands like Dr Martens that have gone public in recent years - analysts say Birkenstock overestimated its value in a slowing market facing a gloomy economic outlook and declining consumer confidence. Just as Crocs is pivoting to cowboy boots…

Vaping’s grip on teens

Any notion that vaping is a kinda harmless phase kids go through has been debunked by researchers looking at the surge in teens taking up the habit. The Australian Institute of Family Studies says the number of 14-17yos who vaped in 2018 was less than 1% - that’s increased to nearly 12% in 2022. Co-author Mandy Truong says it’s clear there are links between vaping and mental health issues, with teens suffering anxiety 20% more likely to take up the habit. And if you thought old-fashioned smoking was something going the way of dinosaurs - not so fast. For the first time in more than 20 years, there's been an increase in young people smoking (from 2% in 2018 to 7% in 2022), and vaping is copping the blame for getting them hooked…

Who’s in, who’s out

Aussie sport’s biggest drama has been fuelled by fresh reports that national rugby coach Eddie Jones is set to quit the Wallabies for a gig in Japan. While Jones denied the stories when they first broke a few weeks back, Japanese media says Jones - who is one of the sport’s most divisive figures - is headed their way. Less controversial is the appointment of the current Canberra Raiders assistant Michael Maguire as the NSW Blues coach next year. It’s a role that’s been a thankless task against a tough Maroons operation. And if you want to see what a power trio of coaching looks like - check out this snap of our Socceroos as they prepare to face England tomorrow (hint: it features Aussie boy made real good, Ange Postecoglou). And we can’t talk soccer without mentioning the Matildas - Sam Kerr’s just been named captain of the squad set to play Iran in Perth on 26 October. It’s all coming back to us…

Friday Lites - three things we liked this week

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark (aka our Mary's MIL) has not just celebrated 50 years on the throne; she's also the costume and production designer for Ehrengard, a new Netflix movie. And in a comment we never thought we’d make, her decoupages are exquisite…

You know how much we enjoy an auction catalogue - and this one for an upcoming sale in London has some unbelievable stuff listed from the entertainment world. From Breakfast at Tiffany’s to Braveheart, there’s something for everyone.

We’re planning on popping something on the BBQ tomorrow night. That’s not the point. The point is this potato gratin with 600ml of cream and bacon and cheese and breadcrumbs. It just feels like the week for it…

Wanna be in the Saturday Squiz?

Hit reply to this email with a max 3-sentence response to our question of the week why don't you?

We just told you that Birkenstock’s debut on the US stock market didn’t exactly go to plan… Are you a fan of the divisive brand, and why/why not?

Let’s get Squizzical

Reckon you know what the most common dog name was in Australia this year? Have a crack at the Squiz Quiz.

Squiz the Day

Friday
ABS Data Release - Overseas Arrivals and Departures, August

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour released in Aussie cinemas

Birthdays for Sacha Baron Cohen (1971), Ian Thorpe (1982), and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (1989)

Anniversary of:
• Greenwich in London established as the universal time meridian of longitude (1884)
• the 'miracle in the Andes' plane crash that inspired the film Alive (1972)
• US champ Simone Biles becoming the most decorated gymnast in history when she won her record 25th medal at the World Championships (2019)
• the birthdays of Margaret Thatcher (1925) and Jamal Khashoggi (1958)

Saturday
5.45am (AEDT) - Men's Soccer Friendlies - Socceroos v England - London

10.05am (AEDT) - Women's Cricket - 3rd ODI - Australia v West Indies - Melbourne

4.15pm (AEDT) - Horse Racing - The Everest - Sydney

6.00pm (AEDT) - Women's Rugby League - Pacific Championship - Australia v New Zealand - Townsville

8.10pm (AEDT) - Men's Rugby League - Pacific Cup - Australia v Samoa - Townsville

The Voice vote - Australia holds its first referendum in 24 years

New Zealand’s general election

World Standards Day – so it’s not a day to drop them…

Birthdays for Ralph Lauren (1939) and Usher (1978)

Anniversary of:
• the publication of Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892) and AA Milne's Winnie the Pooh (1926)
• Martin Luther King Jr winning the Nobel Peace Prize (1964)
• the premiere of reality TV show Keeping Up with the Kardashians (2007)
• the deaths of Antarctic explorer Douglas Mawson (1958), actor Errol Flynn (1959) and crooner Bing Crosby (1977)

Sunday
7.30pm (AEDT) - Netball - Constellation Cup - Australia v New Zealand - Brisbane

8.45pm (AEDT) - Kathleen Folbigg interviewed on Channel 7's Spotlight

Polish parliamentary election

Start of National Carers Week (until 21 October)

Breast Health Day

World Students' Day

South by Southwest (SXSW) begins - Sydney (until 22 October)

Anniversary of:
• the birthdays of Friedrich Nietzsche (1844), PG Wodehouse (1881) and Michel Foucault (1926)
• the first ballet performance, Ballet Comique de la Reine, in Paris (1581)
• the execution of Dutch exotic dancer Mata Hari for spying for Germany during WWI (1917)
• the premiere of I Love Lucy (1951)
• the publication of EB White's Charlotte's Web (1952)
• the ‘Balloon Boy’ fake news story (2009)