Friday, 24 April - Treasure, that is what you are

Good morning, it’s Friday, 24 April. In your Squiz Today…

• Our fuel security plan stays on level 2 as the PM rules out raising taxes for gas companies

• Tributes flow for James Valentine

• And time to whip up a batch of Mrs K’s Anzac biscuits…

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Said one Toronto resident after firefighters were called in to hose down a giant ice sculpture commissioned by rapper Drake as promo for his album Iceman. But authorities said it was dangerous and had to go - the Iceman cometh, the Iceman goeth…

Fuel for thought

The Squiz

With no signs of peace talks getting back on track in the Middle East - and a long weekend ahead for Aussies in NSW, ACT and Western Oz - all eyes are again on petrol prices and the federal government’s plans to shore up our fuel supply. After a meeting of National Cabinet yesterday, PM Anthony Albanese confirmed we’ll stay on level 2 of our fuel security plan, but he also flagged the government is working on “contingencies”, adding “the longer that the war goes on, the more significant the implications for Australia will be”. 

What’s the latest?

There’s some good news - prices at the pump are coming down, and our petrol reserves have risen from 36 days to 46 days since the start of the war, so the PM said a move to level 3 was “not imminent”. As for if/when that might happen, he says we’ll know 4 to 6 weeks ahead of any big drop in our supply. What we do know is that we’re now buying more from the US and further afield, with places like Argentina and Algeria in the mix… And while we’re exporting lots of gas, Albanese has ruled out raising taxes for the big gas companies, who he said already pay around $22 billion a year and rely heavily on investors from North America and Japan. Some say a tax hike could “spook” investors, and Albanese said “without that investment … we wouldn’t be having a debate”.

Any moves on the domestic scene?

The Australian (paywall) this week reported that the government sounded out energy companies earlier this month about developing a third refinery in Oz. Our 2 major refineries have been working at capacity - but Viva Energy’s facility was damaged by fire last week, adding to the squeeze on supplies. Albanese was asked yesterday if there were plans to put public money into increasing diesel production or building a new refinery. He said there weren’t, but added he’s “looking across the board” at options and is open to “constructive proposals”. If you follow the money, one of those could be from the Queensland Government, which is pushing for approvals to be fast-tracked to extract "a sea of oil" from the Taroom Trough - they just need to put in the paperwork…

A skincare glow-up...

An Aussie skincare brand with a serious trophy cabinet is moving into a new era… QFN Skincare (formerly Quite Frankly Natural...) has relaunched with a fresh look. Over the past decade, they've built a loyal following in Oz and overseas, picking up 57 global beauty awards along the way. The relaunch leans further into their science-backed formulas and skin-friendly ingredients - all without the luxury price tag. You can find out more here.

Squiz the Rest

The battle of the blockades

The Iranian regime says it’s taken its first payment from a ship for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. It comes a day after Iranian guards fired on 3 cargo ships stuck in the Strait since the start of the war, and seized 2 of them for attempting to sail the shipping lane “in secret”. On the US side, their forces have also seized another Iranian tanker overnight - the US Navy continues to blockade Iranian ports in the Strait, and US President Donald Trump says ships that pay a toll or small boats caught laying underwater mines will be targeted. This is all going down while the ceasefire has been extended to allow negotiations to continue - in the meantime, Trump’s hosting envoys from Israel and Lebanon for the second round of their peace talks today…

In it for the long haul

After coming under fire from the Greens and some in the disability sector for his plan to radically cut funding for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has doubled down on the reasons for the overhaul, saying the government’s making hard calls for the scheme’s longevity. People with Disability Australia's Megan Spindler-Smith said many participants were caught off guard by the scale of the changes, saying “[People are] very anxious, especially those that could be part of the group cut from the scheme”. Of particular concern are cuts to social and community activities, which help get disabled people out and about. Butler acknowledged that some people were “uneasy” about the changes, but said they’d be finalised with the disability community.  

Honouring those who served

We’re talking, of course, about Anzac Day. Across Australia (and New Zealand), thousands will gather tomorrow to mark the 111th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings in World War I, and to commemorate our troops who have served and died during conflict. This year, 25 April falls on a Saturday, meaning not everyone gets a day off on Monday to make up for the public holiday, so check your state here. For planning purposes, you can also take a look at the dawn services in our capital cities… The big one is at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, which has pre-dawn readings from soldiers’ diaries and letters at 4.30am (AEST), before the service at 5.30am. If you want to watch the ABC live stream, bookmark this… 

Vale “national treasure” James Valentine

Tributes have flooded in for the longtime ABC radio presenter and musician, after his family shared the news yesterday that he’d died by voluntary assisted dying aged 64yo. Listeners of ABC Sydney’s 702 and his national Afternoon Show will know Valentine was being treated for cancer over the past 2 years, and called time on his 25-year radio career in February. Among those remembering him was Governor-General Sam Mostyn, who awarded him an AM in a private ceremony last week. But if you read one tribute, make it this one from former Drive host Richard Glover, who said his friend “brought the spirit of jazz” to his show, adding "he was the conductor; the audience was his instrument".

Down with the thickness

We’re now firmly in Autumn, which means the nights are only going to get cooler - and you might be bringing those thick, heavy doonas/duvets out of the closet… So it could be worth reading this advice from RMIT textiles lecturer Rebecca Van Amber, who has some thoughts about how to buy the right blanket. She says thickness is the most relevant thing to look for - because it most equates to warmth - and all other claims around materials, down and feathers ($30,000 Icelandic eiderdown anyone…?) don’t necessarily equal toastiness. Another thing to look for is the Responsible Down Standard, which ensures your down-based doonas don’t support animal cruelty, and how to dodge duvets that might trigger allergies. It’s cogent advice for comfort…

Friday Lites - 3 things we liked this week

Despite a controversial premise, we enjoyed the new Robert Pattinson/Zendaya film The Drama, which is about a couple whose upcoming wedding is thrown for a loop when one of them reveals a deep, dark secret. It’s polarising, but thought-provoking… 

We’ll be whipping up a batch of Mrs K’s Anzac biscuits later today. As the name hints, they’re Claire’s mum’s recipe, and they’ll be perfect with a cuppa over the weekend. Be warned, though, they’re pretty addictive…

And if you overdo it, this collection of Chic Trackie Daks that Say ‘I Haven’t Given Up’ might come in handy. It’s been compiled by one of our foodie go-tos, Broadsheet. Comfy and stylish? You had us at hello…

Squiz the Day

Friday
9.00am (AEST) - Case management hearing for Kyle Sandilands’ case against former employer ARN, Federal Court of Australia - Sydney 

10.00am (AEST) - NFL Draft begins in the US (until 25 April) - Pittsburgh, watch on ESPN on Disney+ 

10.15am (AEST) - Case management hearing for Jackie ‘O’ Henderson's case against former employer ARN, Federal Court of Australia - Sydney 

5.00pm (AEST) - Lest We Forget Sunset Tribute at the Sydney Opera House Forecourt, marking Anzac Eve - Sydney

💉 World Immunisation Week (until 30 April)

International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace 

Birthdays for singer and actor Barbra Streisand (1942) and tennis star Ash Barty (1996)

Anniversary of:

• the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire (1915)

• the knighting of Winston Churchill by Queen Elizabeth II (1953)

• the launch of the Hubble space telescope into low Earth orbit (1990) 

• the Rana Plaza building collapse in Bangladesh which killed 1,134 garment workers (2013)

• Microsoft becoming the 3rd US company to be listed with a market worth of 1 trillion, after Apple and Amazon (2019)

Saturday
Anzac Day 

1.00pm (AEST) - Monster Truck Mania Live (until 26 April), Qudos Bank Arena - Sydney 

2.00pm (AEST) - Soccer: A-League Women's elimination final Canberra United v Melbourne Victory, McKellar Park - Canberra, watch on Paramount+ 

3.20pm (AEST) - Aussie Rules: Anzac Day AFL match Essendon v Collingwood, MCG - Melbourne, watch on 7plus 

5.00pm AEST) - Soccer: A-League Women's elimination final Brisbane Roar v Adelaide United, Spencer Park Stadium - Brisbane, watch on Paramount+ 

The White House Correspondents' Dinner - Washington D.C.

🐧 World Penguin Day

World Malaria Day

Birthdays for actor Al Pacino (1940), ABBA singer/songwriter Björn Ulvaeus (1945), Actor Hank Azaria (1964), and actor Renée Zellweger (1969)

Anniversary of:

• the publication of Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe (1719)

• the ANZACS landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula during WWI (1915)

Sunday
International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day

World Intellectual Property Day

🐕 World Veterinary Day

Birthdays for US First Lady Melania Trump (1970) and actor Channing Tatum (1980)

Anniversary of:

• the Chernobyl nuclear disaster (1986)

• the wedding of Prince Albert Duke of York (King George VI) and Queen Elizabeth (1923)

Monday
ANZAC Day public holiday in NSW, Western Australia and the ACT… That means no Squiz Today - don’t miss us too much, we’re back on Tuesday…

7.30am (AEST) - Day one of the Women Deliver Conference 2026, speakers include Governor-General Sam Mostyn, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, former prime minister Julia Gillard and eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant (until 30 April) - Melbourne 

8.00am (AEST) - Day one of the National Suicide Prevention Conference 2026 (until 30 April) - Sydney

👑 King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive in the US for a 4-day visit (until 30 April)

Day one of the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (until 22 May) - New York

Freedom Day - South Africa 27 April

Birthdays for rapper Lizzo (1988) and tennis player Nick Kyrgios (1995)

Anniversary of:

• Ludwig van Beethoven composing Für Elise (1810)

• the Australian Labor Party under Prime Minister Chris Watson becoming the first labour movement-aligned government in the world (1904)

• RC Duncan patenting the disposable nappy (1965)

• the Korean summit, which saw North and South officially end the Korean War and agree to rid the peninsula of nuclear weapons (2018)