Thursday, 20 November - Hey True Blue

November 20, 2025

Good morning, it’s Thursday, 20 November. In your Squiz Today…

  • The US Congress votes to publicly release the Epstein files

  • A battle between the federal and state governments over hospital funding continues

  • And Amyl and the Sniffers win big at the ARIAs…

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

“A long time ago, John asked me if I would speak at his funeral. I said yes and then he just kept on living. He lived so long that I thought at one point I might have lost the gig.”

Said actor Russell Crowe, who delivered on his promise to deliver a eulogy at John Laws’ state funeral yesterday. Around 800 people attended the service, with the former broadcaster’s golden microphone in pride of place next to his casket…

A breakthrough in the Epstein files saga

The Squiz

More than 6 years after child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell, thousands of documents related to the criminal investigations into him and his associates are set to be released. It comes after the Epstein Files Transparency Act flew through the US House of Representatives and the US Senate yesterday… Much has been said about the Epstein files and the powerful names they might contain, but yesterday was a moment for Epstein’s victims - many of whom cheered, hugged and cried as the bill passed. One report called it “a watershed moment in a years-long quest for accountability”.

That escalated quickly…

It sure did. For context, polls show US President Donald Trump’s approval rating has taken a hit over the Epstein files saga - and on Sunday, he shocked political watchers when he told House Republicans to vote for their release. From there, the dominoes began to fall… There was a near-unanimous vote (427-1) in the House with bipartisan support. The lone ‘nay’ vote was from Republican Clay Higgins, who’s concerned about protecting victims and witnesses - saying “this type of broad reveal of criminal investigative files, released to a rabid media, will absolutely result in innocent people being hurt”. But it passed and, hours later, sailed through the Senate with a unanimous vote - paving the way for it to go to Trump’s desk.

So what happens now?

It’s up to Trump to give the final sign off, which reports say he could do in the coming hours… It will compel the US Department of Justice (the DOJ) to release unclassified documents from its Epstein investigations within 30 days. But we still might not see all of them… The DOJ will be allowed to withhold documents linked to current federal probes - like the one ordered by Trump last week to investigate Epstein’s alleged ties to figures such as former president Bill Clinton and major banks JP Morgan and Chase. That’s something Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene - a former ally who’s clashed with Trump over the Epstein files - called out, saying “the real test will be, will the Department of Justice release the files, or will it all remain tied up in investigations?” Time will tell…

If you need help, you can find a list of support services here. And if you want more background on the link between Trump and Epstein, this Shortcut has you covered.

The copper connection

Every time you use a chatbot or stream your favourite show, you're part of a copper story that's at the centre of global mining. Those massive data centres powering our digital lives? They need huge amounts of copper - and with demand growing and metal getting harder to extract, there's a supply crunch happening. BHP has plans to ramp up operations in South Australia to help meet demand, positioning our nation at the centre of the tech boom. Head here to find out more about how copper powers your world.

Squiz the Rest

China and Japan are at loggerheads… 

…after comments from Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi about Taiwan. Taiwan - the self-governing democracy that China claims as its territory - is an ally and close neighbour of Japan, and Takaichi said on 7 November that any hypothetical attack on Taiwan by China would be an “existential threat to Japan”, which could respond with its own military action. China didn’t take kindly to that, and has retaliated by banning seafood imports and issuing a travel warning on Japan, discouraging its many tourists - and their dollars - from heading Japan's way. Analysts say this is the most serious dispute between the 2 powerful economies in years - and it’s led to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi refusing to meet Takaichi at the G20 Summit that kicks off in South Africa on Saturday. It’s one to watch…  
*We’ve put together some background on Japan’s new PM Sanae Takaichi in our Squiz Who series over on Instagram - you can read that here…

A battle over hospital funding continues…

…with state and territory leaders holding an emergency meeting over the issue yesterday. The Albanese Government is currently negotiating a new 5-year funding deal for our public hospitals - it previously pledged to fund 42.5% of the running costs by 2030, but NSW Premier Chris Minns says the latest offer from the feds is closer to 37% - he called that a “massive decline”. On the federal side, PM Anthony Albanese wrote to the states in September to tell them to reduce their health spending if they wanted to get a deal done. Add in a Grattan Institute report that said our public hospital system is currently wasting $1.2 billion a year on things like unnecessary testing, and it's a thorny issue. There's a health ministers' meeting in Brisbane next month where it'll come to a head, so we're likely to hear more soon...

Don’t trust the processed

A major medical journal is sounding the alarm on our Aussie diet, warning that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are totalling half of the average Australian’s intake. A study published in the Lancet journal yesterday said the prevalence of UPFs is leading to an increase in chronic diseases like obesity and type 2 diabetes - and Oz, along with the UK and the US, is eating more of them than most. One of the local professors behind the report, Professor Mark Lawrence from Deakin University, says one of the problems is that we don't have a national nutrition policy, and he also took aim at our 'health star rating' system, which he says is too lenient on UPFs. But the report’s authors have some plans to fix the issue - you can read about some of those here… 

Put the name Willem Duursma on your radar…

…as the 18yo from Victoria was selected with the first pick during last night’s AFL Draft. Duursma is part of a talented football family - his older brothers Xavier and Zane and his sister Yasmin are already listed players with Victorian AFL/AFLW clubs. But Willem will be heading interstate after he was selected by the West Coast Eagles - following in the footsteps of Harley Reid, who immediately became a household name in the west after he was picked at #1 back in 2023, and has been under intense scrutiny ever since. But Duursma isn’t fazed - he says he’s ready to help the struggling Eagles become “pretty good again”. You can see the rest of the picks so far here - the 2-night draft continues tonight.

An ARIAs for the underdogs

Aussie music’s night of nights belonged to Melbourne rockers Amyl and the Sniffers, who won 4 gongs including album of the year, with lead singer Amy Taylor declaring “Probably won’t have to work at IGA ever again”. The other big winner at last night’s ceremony in Sydney was electronic artist Ninajirachi, who took home 3 awards including best solo artist for her album I Love My Computer. Song of the Year went to The Kid LAROI’s Girls, while Thelma Plum won best pop album, and Kasey Chambers took out best country album. Fans of 90s band You Am I won’t have heavy hearts today - they were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. Other highlights were UK superstar Olivia Dean performing and American country singer Kacey Musgraves presenting. Here’s the full list of winners from a schedule that was as tightly bound as some of the fashion…

Apropos of Nothing

A prisoner serving a life sentence for murder in a Melbourne jail is taking the state’s Justice Department to court - for the right to eat Vegemite. The brekkie staple has been banned in Victorian prisons for years, but that might change after the case is heard by the Supreme Court next year… 

A piece of artwork entitled America, which is basically a solid-gold toilet, has been sold at auction for nearly $19 million. Despite the eye-watering price, it was actually a disappointing result for the sellers - only one bidder was willing to spend a penny on it…

For the first time since 1998, Scotland will be playing in the FIFA World Cup next year after beating Denmark 4-2 in a qualifier yesterday. But it was how they did it that made headlines, with this bicycle kick goal from Scott McTominay going instantly viral…

Squiz the Day

8.00am (AEDT) - Nvidia will release its Q3 earnings report after markets close at 4pm EST

8.00am (AEDT) - The Asia Pacific Hydrogen Summit & Exhibition begins at the International Convention Centre, lasting until Friday - Sydney

9.00am (AEDT) - The Environment and Communications Legislation Committee will conduct a public hearing into the Environmental Protection Reform Bill at Parliament House - Canberra

11.00am (AEDT) - Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell will chair the 9th Commission Meeting of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre - Melbourne

11.00am (AEDT) - MIRVAC Group AGM will take place at its office on George Street - Sydney

12.00pm (AEDT) - The National Book Award will be announced at Cipriani Wall Street and streamed live via its website - New York City, US, register to watch here

12.00pm (AEST) - Minister for the Environment and Water, Murray Watt, will address the Queensland Media Club on the Environmental Protection Reform Bill - Brisbane

9.30am (AWST) - Mineral Resources AGM will be held at Mineral Resources Park - Perth

1.00pm (AEDT) - The 59th Country Music Association Awards will be held at the Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, US

6.30pm (AEDT) - The Marie Claire Women of the Year Awards are on at the Bell Shakespeare Theatre Company - Sydney

ABS data releases: Energy Account, Australia, 2023-2024 FY; Australian National Accounts: State Accounts, 2024-25 FY; Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, October 2025

Tonga will hold its general election

Wicked: For Good comes out in cinemas in Australia

Birthday for former US President Joe Biden (1942), rapper Future, and podcaster Erika Kirk (1988)

Anniversary of:

  • the birthdays of astronomer Edwin Hubble (1889) and Robert F Kennedy (1925)

  • the start of the Nuremberg war trials (1945)

  • the marriage of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip (1947)