Tuesday, 13 August - Just dance, gonna be okay

Good morning, it’s Tuesday, 13 August. In your Squiz Today…

  • A mysterious fatal chopper crash in Cairns

  • Seven’s workplace culture comes under scrutiny

  • And Raygun busts another move in Paris…🤸‍♀️

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

“Sensational, or dare I say, 'Seine-sational'."

Said outgoing International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach during his speech at yesterday’s closing ceremony. We agree the Paris 2024 Games were incredible, but we’re not so sure we’d focus on the plagued river to make that point…

A mystery in the skies

The Squiz

Authorities in Far North Queensland are working to figure out what led up to a helicopter crashing into a luxury hotel in Cairns early yesterday morning, killing its pilot. Nautilus Aviation - the charter company that owns the chopper - said it was an “unauthorised” flight, and they’re “working closely” with police and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) in their investigations.

So what do we know?

Details are scarce, including the pilot’s identity - which forensic teams are still trying to work out. What we do know is that the 4-person tourist chopper was “moved from a general aviation hangar” at Cairns Airport early on Monday morning, before being flown along Cairns Esplanade - which is part of the CBD’s no-flight zone - and crashing into the roof of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel just before 2am. That led to a fire breaking out and 400 hotel guests being evacuated, but none of them were injured in the fracas… Reports suggest the chopper was stolen, but police wouldn’t comment on that yesterday. They also haven't said what speed it was travelling, but eyewitnesses say it was “it was going so fast” before they heard “a colossal ear-deafening bang”.

What now?

There are plenty of questions… Including whether it was deliberate or not, but Queensland Police’s Acting Chief Superintendent Shane Holmes said that’s “unknown at this stage”. What he did say yesterday was that “there is no further threat to the community, and we believe this is an isolated incident”. CQ University’s aviation expert Professor Doug Drury says having a chopper crash in central Cairns was "very, very unusual" and it's possible there was a mechanical failure, but "if the aircraft was trying to make it back to land, and the aircraft sounded sick ... it still should not have landed on top of the building". ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell says they'll be looking to uncover some of those answers in a preliminary report - which could be released "as early as a couple of weeks' time". Until then…

Bedding down some big savings

Emma Sleep is having its biggest clearance sale on Australia’s most-awarded mattress range and bestselling pillows with up to 55% off. That includes the Emma Comfort Mattress and Good Design award winner Emma Zero Gravity mattress... On top of that, there's a 100-night trial, 10-year warranty, and free shipping. Run (don't walk) to emma-sleep.com.au - and then have a great rest...

Squiz the Rest

Shining a light on Seven

Just months after Nine acknowledged the “trauma” caused by alleged bullying and sexual harassment in its newsrooms, similar allegations have been levelled against Channel Seven. Last night’s ABC Four Corners exposé alleged a "prevalence of non-disclosure agreements" and a "second chance club" for senior men whose behaviour created a "degrading, soul-crushing" workplace where some staff attempted suicide in “the industry #MeToo forgot”. There’s already been several firings/resignations including reporter Robert Ovadia who’s since launched legal action. Former Spotlight executive producer Mark Llewellyn is also in hot water for anti-semitic texts sent to his Jewish colleague at the time, Taylor Auerbach. They’re already battling in court over the fallout from the infamous Bruce Lehrmann interview. With Seven’s company results due out tomorrow, no doubt its investors will have some questions…

Pointing the nuclear finger

Ukraine and Russia are blaming each other after an apparent drone attack caused a fire at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. Thick black smoke was seen billowing out of the now Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia facility late on Sunday night - though thankfully the UN’s nuclear watchdog hasn’t recorded increased radiation levels around the area. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said “Russia must be held responsible” - while Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of “nuclear terror”. The attack comes as Ukraine made its strongest advance into Russia since the war began in February 2022. Russia says 180,000 people have been evacuated from border areas and local authorities have declared a state of emergency, while Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to “kick the enemy out.”

Cracking down on the CFMEU

The federal government’s plan to force the union’s troubled construction arm into administration could face delay - with the Coalition wanting to hold an inquiry before any laws are passed. Labor introduced a bill into Parliament yesterday that would give the Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt the power to force union officials out - as well as fines/jail time for anyone getting in the way of the administrator. The CFMEU’s behaviour came under scrutiny last month after a Nine/SMH investigation showed the construction division had been infiltrated by bikies/organised crime. The latest union scalp claimed in the fallout is NSW Assistant Secretary Michael Greenfield, who resigned last night after months of scrutiny following bribery allegations. Watt says if the Coalition was "serious about fixing the criminality, bullying and thuggery" in the union it would pass the bill without delay. 

*To find out more about the CFMEU allegations, check out this Squiz Shortcut.

Longevity starts at the bottom…

Foot health might not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think about health and longevity, but Canadian doctor/author Peter Attia reckons it should be. He says strong trotters are crucial for everyday tasks like lifting things, climbing stairs, walking/running and balance - all things that come in handy as we age. “Our feet are literally the foundation for any movement we might make,” he says. So it’s probably no wonder that he’s an advocate for foot-specific exercises… Experts say it can be as simple as going barefoot more often or swapping your cushioned shoes for wide-toed numbers that give your feet/toes space to spread. Massaging the soles of your feet is another easy one - as is using your toes to pick things up from the ground. Keep that up and you'll be onto the “piano toes” move before you know it…

Bustin’ a move, not her spirit 

Breakdancing gal Rachael Gunn aka ‘Raygun’ is still breaking the internet after the Aussie team got around her for one final routine before the closing ceremony. Gunn was celebrated at an impromptu street parade - pulling out her signature kangaroo pose and lauded for being “iconic” by fellow athletes. The 36yo was heavily trolled after her unorthodox routine scored a big donut from the judges. But the top dog of the whole comp Martin Gilian reckons the zero wasn’t proof “she did really bad” and praised her for being “inspired by her surroundings”. PM Anthony Albanese reckons Raygun “had a crack - good on her”. And while breaking is out for the 2028 LA Games - we got a hint of the Hollywood razzle dazzle we can expect with Tom Cruise kinda just doing Tom Cruise at the closing ceremony… and Snoop Dog capping off 2 weeks of being the Olympics Alpha-fan…

Apropos of Nothing

Searching for sunken treasure sounds exciting, but the Swedish government has said a hard no to any would-be pirates keen on getting their hooks onto 100 bottles of Champagne recently discovered on a 19th century shipwreck. We don’t know why they’re being so strict, they just arrrr…

A giant tortoise named Stitch was taken home much faster than he escaped from his ostrich farm home in Arizona, after a driver called the police when he saw the creature dodging traffic. He must have been shell-shocked…

Forget the Olympics, because even if you have no sporting ability you can still be a champion thanks to Victorian couple John and Helen Taylor who’re helping everyday Aussies break world records. And they’ve been just as successful as our athletes, smashing 88 records so far. Who needs Paris…

Squiz the Day

10.00am (AEST) - Billionaire Elon Musk will stream a live one-on-one interview with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on X 

12.30pm (AEST) - Minister for the NDIS Bill Shorten will address the National Press Club on government services in Australia over the next decade - Canberra

9.00pm (AWST) - Aussie Olympians arrive home on a specially chartered Qantas flight from Paris - the jet will then fly the East coasties to Sydney, arriving 7am Wednesday

Former PM Scott Morrison is expected to testify at Linda Reynolds’ defamation hearing against Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz - Perth

Company results - James Hardie Industries, Challenger, SEEK, Temple & Webster, NBN Co

ABS Data Release - Wage Price Index, June 

Independence Day in the Central African Republic

National Prosecco Day

Anniversary of:

  • the fall of the Aztec Empire after Spanish conquistadors captured Aztec Emperor Cuauhtémoc in Tenochtitlan (1521)

  • Berlin being divided as East Germany sealed off the border between the city’s eastern and western sectors in order to halt the flight of refugees (1961)

  • the premiere of South Park (1997)

  • the birthdays of Alfred Hitchcock (1899) and Fidel Castro (1926)

  • the deaths of Florence Nightingale (1910) and Julia Child (2005)