Thursday, 19 December - Highway to the danger zone

Good morning, it’s Thursday, 19 December. In your Squiz Today…

• The mid-year Budget check-in tells a gloomy story

• The search for survivors continues in Vanuatu

• And Tom Cruise gets awarded for his Navy movies…🎖️

🎧 Listen to the podcast

🤓 This email will take you 5 minutes to read

Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Said Aussie legendary Aussie author John Marsden, who has died at 74yo. His YA series Tomorrow, When the War Began is one of the most successful of all time, but he was also a much-loved teacher who founded 2 schools. As his character Homer says, “the biggest risk is to take no risk”...

A gloomy economic outlook

The Squiz

Australia is on track for a deficit of $26.9 billion this financial year (aka the government is spending that much more than it will bring in via taxes etc) - that’s $1.3 billion less than was forecast in the Federal Budget in May. But Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher say Australia’s financial position will worsen over the next 4 years, and the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) report delivered yesterday shows we won’t get to a position where we earn as much as we spend until 2034-35. 

Uh oh… What’s happened?

Good question, particularly after 2 years of surpluses… In the short term, it’s down to extra government spending, including “unavoidable” funding for infrastructure projects, domestic violence programs, and health/aged care programs. Some analysts say it’s government spending that’s kept the economy out of a full-blown recession, but critics say it’s keeping interest rates higher for longer… Also of note: government spending is tipped to make up more than a quarter of our gross domestic product (aka GDP, aka the value of everything a nation produces…) in the next financial year, which is super high by historical measures. And with our economy growing at its slowest annual pace since the pandemic, there’s a mountain to climb as we look at what we can expect in the coming decade.  

So what does it mean?

That the Albanese Government’s management of the economy remains a big talking point… Yesterday, the Coalition’s Treasury spokesman Angus Taylor said the government has outlined “no pathway … to a restoration of Australians’ standard of living”. That’s a point to clock because the official data released yesterday predicts the jobs market will pick up next year, but Aussies are in for lower wages and lower household spending. Boo… But the pundits say we should stay tuned for more cost-of-living relief, with Team Albanese keeping $5.5 billion aside for "decisions taken but not yet announced". For his part, Treasurer Chalmers says "if we can afford to do more ... of course we will consider that". That smell you're catching isn't just gingerbread - there's a whiff of a federal election in the air…

A live concert series could be just the ticket

There’s some serious talent performing as part of Musica Viva’s concert series, which will be touring Australia right throughout next year. World-famous Polish pianist Piotr Andersewski and cabaret legend Ali McGregor are two of the performers on offer. Single tickets are $65, or for $171 you can pick a package of 3 concerts that make your heart sing. It’s a great way to spend time with that someone special. To book visit musicaviva.com.au or call 1800 688 482.

Squiz the Rest

Scrambling to search for survivors

The race is on to rescue people trapped in rubble in Vanuatu’s capital, Port Vila, as the death toll from Tuesday’s earthquake rises to 14. At least 200 people were also injured when the 7.3 magnitude quake hit about 30km west of Port Vila - and search crews say those numbers are likely to rise as they comb through collapsed buildings. Their job was made all the more difficult yesterday when a second 5.5 magnitude quake struck as they worked… The disaster prompted Vanuatu's caretaker PM Charlot Salwai to declare a 7-day state of emergency, and he's requested more help from our federal government and our Kiwi cousins… Yesterday, we deployed a 64-person search and rescue team as part of a $2 million immediate support package - along with a medical team to help overwhelmed local medical services. 

Alan Jones protests his innocence

The former radio host spoke in public for the first time yesterday after being charged with indecent assault and sexual touching in November. “I am certainly not guilty and I’ll be presenting my case to a jury,” he told journos after a Sydney court appearance, at which 8 more charges against a 10th alleged victim were added to the list Jones is facing. Quick recap on how all this began… An investigation in the Nine newspapers late last year first raised the allegations, and a special police task force was set up to investigate - leading to the 83yo being arrested at his apartment in Sydney’s Circular Quay. The case will be back in court on 11 March, but Jones has been excused from turning up to that hearing.

* And if you'd like more background on the Jones allegations, we've got a Shortcut for you…

Learning more about treating ADHD

Stimulant meds for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are the only treatments that help adult patients in the short-term, say British researchers - but if they work in the long run is still an open question. They looked at about 15,000 adults living with ADHD and found that while stimulants can help patients complete tasks and focus, they also often stopped taking them due to side effects. One in 20 Aussies live with ADHD, and a Senate Inquiry found late last year it was a “public health concern” - with long wait times for a diagnosis and expensive treatments. Last week, the government said it would support some of the inquiry’s recommendations like ensuring that prescribed treatments are nationally consistent. But ADHD experts aren’t happy - they say that’s “woefully inadequate.”

Have yourself a sweaty little Christmas

If you’re making plans for Christmas Day, here’s a steer for you - the forecast is good news if you like your Chrissy filled with BBQs, beaches or backyard cricket. It looks sunny and dry pretty much everywhere - with temperatures in the high 20s and low 30s - though Adelaide might crack the mid-30s. The only state likely to cop some showers is Queensland - there’s a risk of rain in Brisbane - and the NT might see some wet stuff too. Boxing Day looks much the same, but a few degrees hotter, and once again, South Oz bears the brunt of the sun with temps getting close to 40 degrees on the 26th. So stock up on water and sunscreen - it’s going to be a classic Aussie Christmas…

Tom can be the Navy’s wingman anytime

The US Navy reckons Tom Cruise has done big things for them - they’ve awarded him their top civilian honour for his movie work. He was given the Distinguished Public Service Award in a London ceremony for "increasing public awareness and appreciation for our highly trained personnel". Cruise has been in a bunch of military-flavoured flicks, most notably Top Gun in 1986 and 2022’s hugely successful sequel Top Gun: Maverick - but also Born on the Fourth of July and A Few Good Men. The 62yo action man said he was proud of the award and "admires all who serve their country". No word if his supreme movie running skills were a factor, though… He’s not the first Hollywood actor to receive the honour - Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks were recognised for their work on Saving Private Ryan. Cruise is a licensed pilot IRL, so surely it's cause for a Maverick-style fly-by..

Apropos of Nothing

If you enjoy a bit of personal space on a flight, avoid the 2-hour trip between Taipei and Hong Kong, which has been named the world’s busiest route. Melbourne-Sydney is our busiest trip - the fifth-busiest domestic route in the world. Better luck next time, Perth to Hobart…

Swedish pole vaulter extraordinaire Armand Duplantis has been named the BBC’s World Sport Star of the Year - he’s the first pole vaulter to win back-to-back Olympic golds since the 50s. He might not be this year’s most viral vaulter, though - that’s a certain French gentleman…

Scientists might have figured out how barn owls - despite being a brilliant white colour - avoid being seen by their prey while hunting. They reckon the white plumage looks enough like moonlight that their targets assume that’s what they are - before getting a rude shock…

Holiday content for the whole family

Squiz Kids is here to keep the small people in your life entertained during the summer holidays with 6 weeks of engaging kids podcasts. That includes weekly Kids vs. Adults quizzes, brain teasers to keep the grey matter engaged, and Shortcuts on fun, festive-themed topics. Tune into Squiz Kids on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts to keep your kids entertained over the summer break. Did we mention this content is all completely free?

Squiz the Day

9.00am (AEDT) - Women's Cricket ODI: Aus v New Zealand - Wellington, NZ, and watch on Kayo 

9.30am (AEDT) - The Ladies’ Lounge at MONA reopens - Hobart

Tasmanian schools break for the end of year

ANZ GM 

ABS Data Release - Quarterly Australian National Accounts: Finance and Wealth, September

Saint Nicholas Day in Eastern Christian countries

Jake Gyllenhaal’s birthday (1980)

Anniversary of:

• the release of Charles Dickens’ Yuletide tale A Christmas Carol in Britain (1843)

• the death of Emily Brontë (1848)

• the first radio broadcast from space - US President Eisenhower sent a Christmas message (1958)

• the signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration to transfer Hong Kong back to China in 1997 (1984)

• the impeachment of US President Bill Clinton on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice (1998)

🎅 And it's 6 days until Christmas...