Tuesday, 11 March - Everything is not what it seems

Good morning, it’s Tuesday, 11 March. In your Squiz Today…

• Flooding from Alfred is spreading inland

• A twist in the case of the caravan filled with explosives

• And online chefs get thirsty… 🧑‍🍳 

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Said James Templeton, who manages Australian teen sprinting sensation Gout Gout. The 17yo (and national 200m record holder…) is returning to the track this week for the Queensland Championships, and Templeton reckons he’s in top form. Let’s go, Gout…

Coping with the aftermath of Alfred

The Squiz

Aussies in southeast Queensland and northern NSW are still dealing with the impact of the weather from ex-Cyclone Alfred, with flooding and heavy rain still a big issue throughout the 2 states. Brisbane recorded its wettest day in 51 years yesterday, and with more rain on the way, sewage overflows have become an extra problem - the water authority there says people should avoid making contact with floodwaters as a result, though drinking water is still fine. 

So we’re not out of the woods yet…  

That's been the common message from weather experts and emergency services… In the Queensland town of Ipswich, for example, locals were being evacuated last night as the nearby Bremer River broke its banks. There are heaps of official weather warnings in place across the 2 states - you can see the full list here. Emergency services workers have been going full tilt, and in Queensland’s Hervey Bay, they pulled off 18 rescues in 24 hours. Some of those were people trying to drive through flood waters, and authorities have repeated their plea for people to avoid doing that at all costs - they say it’s just too easy to get stuck.

This could get expensive…

It’s adding up… and with all the damage the weather is causing, insurance has become a big talking point. PM Anthony Albanese called out insurance companies yesterday for ripping off Aussies in the past, and he says they should pay out claims ASAP to “repair their relationship with the Australian public”. This was an issue during the floods in 2022, and a report from October last year found insurers had handled “too many” claims poorly at the time - the government hasn’t responded to that yet. For those who’ve taken a financial hit from the cyclone, workers and sole traders could be eligible for income support - you can check if you fit the bill via the Services Australia website and you can apply as of today.

A tasty tour of Canberra

We've teamed up with VisitCanberra to shine a light on what makes our capital the place to be in 2025. Something you might not know is that the city has a thriving local foodie scene, which is backed up by tasty local produce and wines. To score some insider knowledge on wining and dining, we spoke with Dash Rumble, who's behind 2 of Canberra's most successful restaurants. We get into why she chose to set up shop in Canberra, why she loves the local foodie scene, and her recommendations for visitors. Check out the video here.

Squiz the Rest

Syria sees more unrest

After days of violence in Syria’s northwest, the country’s security forces say they’ve overcome loyalists to ousted president Bashar al-Assad who staged an uprising late last week. Reports say more than 1,000 people were killed in the fighting - including reports of entire families. You might remember Assad's rule over Syria was brought to a swift end late last year when rebel fighters took control of several major cities - forcing him and his family to flee. It ended more than 50 years of dictatorship by Assad and his father - but not everyone was happy about him being overthrown… UN Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the attacks on civilians were "extremely disturbing" and called for an end to the violence.

A twist in the Dural caravan case

We say “twist” because the Australian Federal Police (AFP) now believes the explosives-filled caravan found in Sydney’s south-west was a “fake” terrorist plot - rather than being a foiled antisemitic terror attack. The AFP’s Krissy Barrett yesterday said investigators suspected it was “a criminal con job” from early on - believing tip-offs that led them to the caravan were also fake. She called it an “elaborate scheme contrived by organised criminals” to direct police resources one way so they could carry out criminal activity elsewhere. They haven’t arrested the main person behind it yet, but Strike Force Pearl, the counter-terrorism taskforce, did make 14 other arrests yesterday over unrelated antisemitic attacks across Sydney. You can read up on them here…

A change of guard in Canada

Our Commonwealth cousins have a new leader after more than 9 years of PM Justin Trudeau. Mark Carney has been selected by the Liberal Party as its new leader ahead of a national election later this year. Trudeau resigned in January after months of poor approval ratings, but he's stayed on while his replacement was chosen, and he won’t leave until Carney’s settled in. First on the to-do list: working on Canada’s response to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs - which Ontario Premier Doug Ford has got a jump start on… Carney has argued he’s best-placed to do that, being a former central banker who’s overseen North America and the UK’s responses to financial crises - saying “on trade, as in hockey, Canada will win”. 

A koala-ty prospect

Here’s a name to put on your radar if it isn’t already… Aussie golfer Karl Vilips has broken through for his first win on the PGA tour, taking out the Puerto Rican Open in his first season. He didn’t just win, either - he demolished the scoring record for the tournament by 5 shots. Vilips was born in Melbourne and raised in Perth, and he first came to the golf world’s attention through a YouTube account started by his dad to show off his prowess as a child prodigy, called “Koala Karl”, which is now his Instagram handle. Among the wellwishers to message him following his victory was golfing GOAT Tiger Woods, as Vilips is also an ambassador for Tiger’s clothing label. That man is going places…  

Yes, Chef…

The culinary world has long been linked to er, sensuality - and US series The Bear hasn’t done anything to change that perception since its premiere a few years ago. So we probably shouldn’t be surprised that chefs with online presences are increasingly capitalising on it by posting thirst traps… Think winking and blowing kisses while they show viewers how to knead dough. Donut Daddy, the alter ego of Anthony Randello-Jahn, is one who’s built a 2.2 million-strong audience online as he whips up everything from desserts to beef Wellington - while shirtless. And if you’re thinking it’s easy, Donut Daddy reckons a single, 2 minute video can take 4 days from recipe development through to posting. Tough work, but someone has to do it…

Apropos of Nothing - Central casting edition

Ex-James Bond Pierce Brosnan has told the tech company Amazon to stick with a Brit as it casts around for who might play the top spy. Amazon has taken on full creative control of the franchise, and it’s looking for its next star as the gears start turning on a new movie, 4 years after the last one hit cinemas. 

One of the TV sensations of 2023 is on its way back - zombie video game adaptation The Last of Us has put out a main trailer for its second season, which will see Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey return to their roles of Joel and Ellie after a 5-year time jump. It’ll be out in Australia on 14 April, for Squizers with strong stomachs… 

US sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live has been casting famous faces to play big political names recently - Jim Carrey as Joe Biden, for one… and it looks like Austin Powers star and ex-cast member Mike Myers might be the show’s full-time Elon Musk - even breaking out a couple of old catchphrases in his second go at the role…

Squiz the Day

General election in Greenland (Denmark)

9.00am (AEDT) - Alan Jones is facing a charge of “assault with an act of indecency” relating to an 11th alleged victim, which will be added to the claims against him by 10 others when his case comes before court for a status update - Sydney

AICD Australian Governance Summit 2025: Beyond the Horizon - Sydney

Australian Institute of Criminology Conference - Reducing Online Harms (until 12 March) - Canberra

Future Women Leadership Summit (until 12 March) - Sydney and online

ABS data release - Total value of dwellings, December quarter

World Plumbing Day

Birthdays for media mogul Rupert Murdoch (1931), and singers Benji and Joel Madden (1979) 

Anniversary of:

• John Howard being sworn in as PM (1996)

• the Madrid train bombings which killed 193 people (2004)

• an earthquake and tsunami in Japan that triggered the 2nd-worst nuclear accident in history at Fukushima nuclear plant (2011)

• Chinese President Xi Jinping being appointed president for life (2018)