Thursday, 6 June - You'll go riding on the horses

Good morning, it’s Thursday, 6 June. In your Squiz Today…

• Musk notches a win against Oz

• The economy slows to a crawl

• And the King’s cavalry makes a comeback… 🐴

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Squiz Sayings

Said the tourism body for Frankston, in Melboune’s south-east, after local MP David Limbrick said a Disney theme park would be “welcomed with open arms” there. It’s all rumours at this point, but Limbrick reckons it’s “the only logical place for the happiest place on Earth”…

Musk notches a win

The Squiz

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has come out of his court battle with our eSafety Commission victorious, after Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant said she was dropping the case against his social media company X yesterday. The Federal Court proceedings have been bubbling along for months, so you might recall it’s to do with the removal of videos of the Wakeley terror attack at a church in Sydney’s south-western suburbs in April. Inman-Grant wanted them removed from the social platform globally, but Musk refused, getting into a verbal sparring match with Aussie leaders and leading to the court case, which suffered a series of setbacks on the eSafety Commission’s side… Yesterday, when the announcement was made, Musk posted “​​freedom of speech is worth fighting for”.

So that’s it, then…?

Not quite. Inman-Grant was scathing of Musk yesterday, saying other social platforms complied with her takedown order and that his taunting of the commission was “beyond the pale, but not surprising”. She stood by the order and said the goal was to prevent “extremely violent footage from going viral, potentially inciting further violence and inflicting more harm”. The commission will now focus on an independent review by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. On a personal note, Inman-Grant also revealed that after Musk “issued a dog-whistle” to X’s 181 million users, she’d been targeted with death threats, which led to the doxxing - aka the malicious publishing of personal details - of her family and 3 children. Michael Miller, the boss of News Corp Australia, also criticised X and other social media companies yesterday - he said they’re “monetising misery” by profiting from violent content.

Anything else?

Sure is… In a separate set of proceedings yesterday, NSW Supreme Court Judge Deborah Sweeney granted bail to a 15yo boy who was arrested for his links to the teen who carried out the Wakeley terror attack on Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel on 15 April. The boy was one of 6 arrested in counterterrorism raids across Sydney after the attack, with police saying he was part of a chat group on the encrypted messaging app Signal where the teens allegedly conspired to plan a terrorist act. But Judge Sweeney found the case against him wasn’t strong enough, saying “he talks in concerning ways, but … the [police] facts statement seems a bit thin”. He's been given strict bail conditions - including house arrest and a ban on using mobile phones, smart devices and internet devices - while the court heard he should also be treated for his “mental health and self-esteem issues”.

Nominate a mate for the Fred Awards

The Fred Hollows Foundation has opened nominations for the 2024 Fred Awards, celebrating everyday humanitarians across Australia who embody kindness, compassion and integrity. People like 80-year-old Laurel, who was nominated last year for delivering meals within her local community of Liverpool in Sydney for 28 years. If you know someone like Laurel Nominations are now open and close on Sunday, 21 July. To learn more visit hollows.org/fredawards 

Squiz the Rest

The economy stalls

Australia’s economy has slowed to a crawl, with gross domestic product - aka the value of everything a nation produces - rising by just 0.1% in the first quarter of the year. The latest Bureau of Stats data showed the lower-than-expected rate of economic growth, bringing the total to 1.1% over the past year. Treasurer Jim Chalmers gave a glass-half-full response, saying “against this difficult global backdrop, Australia recorded faster annual growth than most major advanced economies”... He put the weak figures down to high interest rates, inflation and global uncertainty. Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock said while the economy was "very weak", the labour market was growing and she hasn’t ruled out further interest rate rises. But the Coalition's Angus Taylor said the figure should be a “wake-up call” for the Albanese Government. It’s a similar story around the world, with people changing their spending habits “from YOLO to yo, no”…

Biden’s pushed over the borderline

President Joe Biden has used his executive powers to impose a daily cap on migrants crossing over the US-Mexico border - effective immediately. The White House says the policy is aimed at reducing a record number of migrant arrivals in what’s shaping up to be a key US election issue… Reports say US officials have been arresting nearly 4,000 illegal migrants per day, so the new limit will apply once a daily threshold of 1,500 migrants is reached and the border is considered “overwhelmed” - with any arrivals after that turned away. Immigration activists have criticised Biden for using the same regulation former president Donald Trump tried to use to ban migrants seeking asylum if they crossed the border illegally. But Biden says he’d “never demonise immigrants” and the move is needed “to gain control of our border”.

The cost of a huge hack

Australia’s largest health insurer Medibank could face more than $21 trillion in fines for exposing customers’ personal data to hackers in what is our largest cybercrime incident to date. You might recall that happened in October 2022, with the details of nearly 10 million customers hacked… Now, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has filed a civil case in the Federal Court, claiming Medibank failed to adequately protect customers’ information, breaching the Privacy Act. Medibank says it’ll defend the proceedings, but Commissioner Carly Kind said it’s a wake-up call for all Australian organisations to “invest in their digital defences”. It comes as e-script provider MediSecure has gone into administration after falling victim to a large data breach.

Feeling the blues in NSW

If you’re a fan of the NSW Blues, our condolences - but if you’re all about the Queensland Maroons, congrats… The Blues went down 10-38 during the first State of Origin game last night, made all the worse because they were playing on home turf at Accor Stadium. They also played a man down for most of the game after Joseph Suaalii was sent off early for a high tackle, which has seen him banned for a month. Reports say it’s the heaviest defeat the Blues have suffered in Sydney in more than 35 years - ouch… But the Maroons had a great night - fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow was a standout after scoring a hat trick. Next up is game 2 at the MCG on 26 June. And while we’re on sports, Australia plays its first match against Oman in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup today, from 10.30am if you’re on the east coast.

All the King’s horses…

Showing the true meaning of getting back in the saddle, 3 of the King’s Cavalry horses injured after bolting through central London have been pronounced fit enough to take part in the King’s birthday parade later this month… You might remember the horses were spooked by construction work and escaped their handlers back in April. Footage of them injured and galloping through the streets of London went around the world but the UK Ministry of Defence said they’ve now made “a remarkable recovery” and are now “enjoying a summer holiday”. And while we have you on royal news… New bank notes featuring His Majesty have entered circulation - but they may be hard to find given the dwindling number of people still using cash. Not that the King will notice - he’s busy attending the D-Day ceremony in Normandy, France, marking the 80th anniversary of the Allied landing in WWII.

And if you want to learn more about D-Day - the major operation that changed the course of WWII - we’ve got a Shortcut for you. You’re welcome…

Apropos of Nothing - Kids’ll dig it edition

While we’re talking mugs on money, Bluey will soon feature on her own $1 coins in a limited series of “dollarbucks” by the Royal Australian Mint. They’re available to buy individually or in a set of 3, and you’d better get in quick - they’re so in demand, there’s a ballot…

In what might be every kid’s dream, 3 young hikers stumbled on a T-Rex bone sticking out of the ground in North Dakota. The find has since led to 100 more fossils being uncovered from the same dinosaur who, in a fun twist, is also thought to be a youngster…

China’s Chang’e-6 lunar probe is heading back to Earth carrying the first samples of rocks and dirt ever collected from the far side of the moon. In a boss move, the probe even lifted a mechanical arm, raised a Chinese flag and took a selfie before lift-off…

Squiz the Day

10.00am (ACST) - Launch of the first First Nations-owned solar microgrid in Marlinja, NT

10.30am (AEST) - Former Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn will testify in his own defence in the murder case of campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay - Melbourne

10.30am (AEST) - Mens Cricket: ICC T20 World Cup - Australia v Oman - Barbados and watch on Prime 

11.45am (AEST) - CEDA conference - Qld energy market outlook

3.30pm (AEST) - Governor General David Hurley to attend the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, to be led by King Charles and beginning early morning local time, corresponding to the exact hour the Allies arrived - Normandy, France

7.45pm (AEST) - Women's State of Origin Game 2: New South Wales Blues v Queensland Maroons  - Newcastle, and watch on 9Now

8.45pm (AEST) - Men's Soccer World Cup qualifier - Bangladesh v Australia - Bangladesh and watch on Paramount+

SA Budget day

European State Parliament Election (on until June 9)

ABS Data Release - International Trade in Goods, April; Corrective Services, March quarter 

Queensland Day marking the day the Sunshine State was established as a separate colony from New South Wales (1859)

Sweden’s National Day

Russian Language Day 

World Pest Day

Anniversary of:

• the patenting of the electric iron by New Yorker Henry Seely (1882)

• the beginning of D-Day as the Allies land in Normandy, France (1944)

• the release of video game Tetris by Russian software engineer Alexey Pajitnov (1984)

• the premiere of Sex and the City (1998)