Thursday, 14 November - You actin' kinda shady

November 14, 2024

Good morning, it’s Thursday, 14 November. In your Squiz Today…

  • Kevin Rudd’s role in the US is questioned

  • The COP climate summit gets heated

  • And the Booker Prize winner has been named… 📖

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

"The start of the restoration is thrilling."

Said Taco Dibbits, the boss of Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum, as the restoration of the Rembrandt masterpiece The Night Watch kicked off. It will happen in a glass room so fans can (night)watch the process happen. It’s taken 5 years of scientific research to get to this point, so no pressure, team…

We need to talk about Kevin…

The Squiz

Former PM Kevin Rudd’s role as our Ambassador to the US is in the headlines after a member of President-elect Donald Trump’s inner circle hinted he might not be the guy for them. Rudd’s position has been in doubt due to his past disparaging remarks on the newly elected President’s fitness for office. Last week, Rudd posted a statement to X congratulating Trump on his victory, but yesterday, senior Trump advisor Dan Scavino responded with a GIF of sand falling through an hourglass…

Was what Rudd said really that bad?

Well, bad enough that last week Rudd took down 2 posts where he called Trump “the most destructive president in history” and “a traitor to the West”. Rudd’s office said the posts from before his time as Ambassador were taken down so they wouldn’t be confused with his role or the position of the Oz government. But the response from Scavino indicates Team Trump has seen those comments (and maybe others…), leading to speculation Rudd won’t be in the role much longer. But that creates a diplomatic and political issue back home because PM Anthony Albanese said prior to Trump’s election that “Australia decides who our ambassador is and Mr Rudd is doing an excellent job” - potentially putting the 2 governments at odds…

Can the US sack him?

No - only the Australian Government can do that. Some critics want him out ASAP, but Rudd received support from an old rival in former PM Tony Abbott, who said he “would be surprised if there was any pressure from the Americans to change our ambassador.” But there’s the big picture of Oz’s relationship with the US under Trump to consider, including issues like tariffs and the AUKUS agreement - so the government will be keen to keep America on its side. Meanwhile, Team Trump is cracking on with its agenda, announcing the newly created ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ to be led by billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy - thought by some to be a vehicle to upend the bureaucracy at large. Trump himself returned to the White House overnight where he met with President Joe Biden, who again assured him of “a smooth transition” and added “welcome back.”

You look lovely, deer

Summer is coming, so it’s a good time to refresh your beauty game. Kotia is the world’s first skincare range made with 100% pure New Zealand deer milk. It sounds wild, and it is because it naturally contains vitamins A, B, D, and E, zinc, iodine, and protein to hydrate your skin for a healthy glow. Kotia products also use peptide technology to minimise imperfections, fine lines and pigmentation to renew your complexion. Check out the full range here. Squizers can use the code GLOW15 for a 15% discount.

Squiz the Rest

Overturning an abuse ruling

The Catholic Church has successfully appealed a landmark Victorian Supreme Court ruling holding it liable for a 5yo boy’s historical abuse at the hands of an assistant priest at its Ballarat diocese. That initial ruling had set a precedent for the Church being responsible for abuse carried out by its priests, but it was found that the court had overreached in finding the priest involved (who has since died) a “servant of the diocese” with the “power and intimacy” to abuse children. It ruled that because the priest was not formally employed by the diocese at the time of the abuse, the church was not liable for his actions. Legal eagles say it could have “far-reaching” consequences for abuse victims and puts Oz at odds with countries like the UK and Canada.

Parkes locals are All Shook Up

…after a country musician was charged with murdering a popular Elvis impersonator following a karaoke night last weekend. Bernie Peri, who was known for his renditions of Elvis at Parkes’ famous festival and pubs, was found dead on Sunday. Police have charged country musician Marshall Karaitiana with his murder, which they say happened after Peri spent Saturday night performing karaoke at Parkes' Royal Hotel in the NSW Central West. In court, it came to light that Karaitiana survived a fall from a balcony in 2018 which left him fighting for life. His name may ring a bell because his friend, Love Island winner Grant Crapp, donated half of his prize money to help with his recovery. Parkes locals have described Peri as "a beloved friend", and in his honour, the Royal threw a happy hour yesterday, pouring his favourite brew at half price. 

A conflict at COP…

As the United Nations’ annual global climate forum - COP29 - continues in Azerbaijan, the host country’s President Ilham Aliyev has copped some criticism for his pro-oil and gas comments… He described the fuels as a “gift from God” and said Azerbaijan shouldn’t be blamed for its controversial plans to expand gas production, but UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pushed back, saying that plans to double down on fossil fuels were “absurd”. Aside from that hullabaloo at the forum where countries are supposed to present their new 2035 emissions reduction targets, a new report shows global carbon emissions are on track to hit a new high. Scientists working on the Global Carbon Budget report say most of the emissions are from burning coal, oil and gas - but a rise in bush/wildfires around the world is also causing problems.

We’re diving a little deeper into the goals of COP29 and efforts to combat climate change in our latest Shortcut…

Some choice words

Aussie consumer advocacy group CHOICE has released its annual recipients of the Shonky Awards, which highlight dodgy business goings-on. The ‘winners’ this year include Facebook owners Meta for not doing enough to prevent Aussies from being scammed - 76% of the scams reported to Scamwatch between 2020 and 2023 started on Meta platforms (including WhatsApp and Instagram). Daily Juice Co also copped a whack for making a green juice which was green from food colouring, not veggies... And insurers NIB got an unwanted gong - CHOICE found that couples who added a child to their NIB policy would see their premiums rise by 4% - whereas single parents who did the same would see their premiums double. Can’t imagine the awards ceremony was very well-attended…

Book(er)ing a big prize win 

Samantha Harvey got the nod for Orbital to take out this year’s Booker Prize 2024 with a novel about astronauts aboard the International Space Station. And here’s a tip: if you’d like to drop into conversation this festive season that you’ve read the Booker Prize-winner but you’re also time-poor, this is your year - Orbital’s 144 pages long and the entire story takes place in a single day. It was the unanimous pick of the judges, who called it a “book about a wounded world”. Harvey is the first woman to win the prize since Margaret Atwood and Bernadine Evaristo’s 2019 tie, and the 6-book shortlist featured 5 female authors for the first time. They included Aussie Charlotte Wood with Stone Yard Devotional making her the first Aussie shortlisted since 2014. So there are a few titles to add to your bedside table…

Apropos of Nothing

Speaking of Azerbaijan… People are gathering around a beached whale on the shore of the Caspian Sea - and if you’re thinking “hang on, there are no sperm whales there,” you’re right… It’s a very realistic (and pungent) art project aimed at raising climate change awareness during COP29. 

A marble bust could become a marble boom after a doorstop that cost just $10 was approved for auction. The owners of the 18th-century Bouchardon Bust have been trying to sell it for years but only just got the tick from a Scottish court. Apparently, it could go for upwards of $5 million…

The TV version only wrapped 5 years ago, but Game of Thrones is now in the works to become a series of movies. HBO has officially confirmed the move but stressed it’s in the very early stages of development. So Winter is Coming… again.

Squiz the Day

8.30am (AEDT) - The Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom will hold a Press Freedom Summit with keynote speakers ABC chair Kim Williams and Justice Michael Lee - Sydney

9.00am (AEDT) - Golf: Australasian Tour - NSW Open (on until 17 November) - Sydney, and watch on 7Plus 

9.30am (AEDT) - Patrick Orren Stephenson, charged with murdering Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy, will face court via videolink for a committal mention and case update - Ballarat 

10.00am (AEDT) - RBA Governor Michele Bullock will take part in a panel discussion at the ASIC Annual Forum titled ‘State of the Economy’ - Sydney

7.00pm (AEST) - Men's Cricket 1st T20I : Aus v Pakistan - Brisbane, and watch on Kayo

8.10pm (AEDT) - Soccer: World Cup qualifier, Socceroos v Saudi Arabia - Melbourne, and watch on 10 Play

The Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society is due to deliver its final report - as the government announces new Digital Duty of Care Laws…

ABS data release - Labour Force, Oct

National Pickle Day - US

👑 A birthday for King Charles (1948)

Anniversary of:

  • the birthday of painter Claude Monet (1840)

  • the publication of Herman Melville's Moby Dick (1851)

  • New York World reporter Nellie Bly attempting to surpass the fictitious journey of Jules Verne's Phileas Fogg by travelling around the world in under 80 days. She succeeds, finishing the trip in 72 days, 6 hours (1889)

  • the first public trains runnings under the English Channel (1994)

  • the film premiere of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) and the first James Bond film starring Daniel Craig, Casino Royale (2006)