Tuesday, 15 July - I love Paris in the summer when it sizzles

Good morning, it’s Tuesday, 15 July. In your Squiz Today…

• A Treasury briefing blunder

• A big weapons boost for Ukraine

• And a swimming summer for Parisians…

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Said German backpacker Carolina Wilga in her first statement since being rescued from the remote Western Oz outback. She says she left her van after crashing it and hitting her head, and believes she made it through thanks to the “outpouring of support” from Aussies. A true blue survivor...

A budget briefing blunder

The Squiz

A federal Treasury briefing that was accidentally released to the ABC - sans redactions - has given some insight into what our economic policymakers reckon will be necessary to make our national financial situation "sustainable". The confidential advice, drafted for the Albanese Government after the May election, was mistakenly included in a Treasury Department response to a Freedom of Information request - and from there, it made plenty of headlines after it was reported on… In focus: the suggestion that higher taxes/lower spending and the Albanese Government’s signature housing plan are 3 significant areas in need of reform.

Ah, that’s what that was about… 

Yep, if you saw some news yesterday, chances are this was amongst it. That’s because the briefing covers some touchy subjects… Note: we don’t know exactly what Treasury officials are proposing, but lifting the GST has been flagged by others, and superannuation and ‘indirect’ tax reform were both name-dropped… We also know that tax cuts for companies and individuals were mentioned as a way to rev up the economy. As for the spending cuts, the briefing says “additional revenue and spending reductions” are needed for Team Albanese to balance our budget - but again, it’s not clear what that might involve. And finally on housing = the brief advises Labor’s promise to build 1.2 million homes over 5 years - a key part of its re-election campaign - “will not be met”. 

Awkward…

Treasurer Jim Chalmers downplayed it, saying he’s “pretty relaxed” about the airing of advice he says aligns with priorities he’s already spoken about. He did, however, admit that our housing construction is lagging, and says “the government will need to do better and do more” to hit the target. As for the other 2 points, his fellow politicians and industry/business leaders have been asked to BYO ideas to the roundtable he’s hosting next month. More broadly, our future economic stability/prosperity is also tied to our trade relationships - such as the Oz-China one. As it happens, PM Anthony Albanese’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping today has that on the agenda. 

Living life on your own terms

When macular degeneration meant that 82yo Marg Griffin had to give up her driver's license, she had to get creative with her independence. How does she do life? Uber's new Simple Mode feature bigger text, fewer buttons and simplified screens. It's technology finally designed with seniors in mind, helping older adults stay mobile and connected to what matters most. You can learn more about Uber’s latest Simple mode feature and Senior Accounts here.

Squiz the Rest

Seeing a man about a missile… 

US President Donald Trump has announced a plan to send "top of the line" weapons to Ukraine to defend itself against Russia, funnelled through NATO countries, who'll foot the bill. And he's given Russia a 50-day deadline to make peace or face "severe tariffs". The weapons deal was sealed with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Washington, and it's an important move in Ukraine's favour after Trump's repeated efforts to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire haven't amounted to much. Trump said his conversations with the Russian leader were "very pleasant" but then "the missiles go off at night." Rutte knows the way to Trump's heart - in a recent podcast with the New York Times, the former Dutch PM said Trump “deserves all the praise” for getting NATO nations to up their defence commitments. 

A blue-ribbon battle continues

The fight for the federal seat of Bradfield in Sydney went right down to the wire with just 26 votes in the balance between the winner, Teal independent Nicolette Boele, and Liberal Party candidate Gisele Kapterian. But a week before federal parliament is due to sit, it’s back on like Donkey Kong - with the NSW Liberal Party confirming it’ll launch a legal challenge to the final outcome, which was reached after a recount. In a statement, Kapterian pointed out that the original count had the seat in her hands by 8 votes, and she said bringing in an “umpire” would ensure the result reflected “the true wishes of the voters”. The challenge will go before the Court of Disputed Returns, so an absolute final decision could take a while…

The end of the road?

We draw your attention to this article - and not because of the shocking news that the Pickled Possum bar on Sydney’s North Shore has shut, and we may be mourning our youth… It points to Australian fashion retailer Country Road closing stores as falling sales prompt its South African owner to scale back operations. The brand has shut its flagship Market Street store in Sydney, while its Pitt Street Mall store is also earmarked to close when its lease expires in 2028. Changing fashion trends and reduced demand for suits and formal wear are eating into sales. Parent company Woolworths Holdings (no, not the Aussie Woolies…) reported sales are down, and new CEO Steven Cook, a former boss of British department store Debenhams, will soon move into place to oversee the brand's repositioning. 

Konstas’s career is bowled a googly… 

Even the most casual of news consumers would likely remember Sam Konstas’s Test cricket debut for Australia… It was Boxing Day in Melbourne 7 months ago and the 19yo was lauded for taking on India’s Jasprit Bumrah, considered to be the world’s #1 bowler. But what a difference half a year makes - and not in a good way… Konstas is opening the batting for the Aussies in their West Indies tour and not since 1984 has someone in that spot made fewer runs across 3 matches. And with another duck (aka zero runs) yesterday morning, his critics and supporters say he’s looking a bit lost… Note: the Ashes start in November (aka Australia v England), and Konstas now faces a battle for selection. As for this series against the Windies, we’re 2 up in the 3 Test series, and we’re looking good for a clean sweep… 

Oui to a Seine-sational splash

While we’re taking a walk down a sporting memory lane, remember how big of a talking point last year’s Paris Olympic events held on the River Seine was? We’ll never forget that current… And now, after 102 years of being told "absolument pas", Parisians are allowed to take a dip. The €1.4 billion cleanup that would make Marie Kondo proud saw the city connect 20,000 homes to proper sewage systems and build underground storage tanks big enough to hold 20 Olympic pools worth of runoff. About 1,000 swimmers can paddle daily, and sure, rain shut things down after just one day after opening last week, but locals are enjoying the 11 spots open until August. French President Emmanuel Macron promised he'd take a plunge when it was safe – no pressure…

Apropos of Nothing

Olive pavlova, anyone? Aussie professor John Fielke is working on revolutionising olive processing, creating fruity flavours like passionfruit and pink musk lollies instead of salty bitterness. The method cuts water usage, halves processing time, and lets farmers machine-harvest. 

Tiny drugstore beetles are munching through 100,000 ancient books at Hungary's 1,000yo Pannonhalma Abbey, forcing monks to seal the volumes in oxygen-free bags for 6 weeks to kill the literary invaders. We’ve heard of bed bugs - wonder if these guys are smarter… 

And if that doesn’t give you the creepy crawlies, the Science of Scare Project has tracked people’s heart rates while watching horror movies, and it’s come up with what it reckons are the 50 scariest of all time… We're betting Night of the Library Beetles didn't make the cut…

Squiz the Day

9.00am (AEST) - The Reserve Bank will release its Review of Merchant Card Payments Costs and Surcharging consultation paper - Sydney 

9.30am (AEST) - Former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas is due to appear in court after she and 4 others were charged over an unauthorised protest, after which Thomas was hospitalised with an eye injury - Sydney

2.15pm (AEST) - The Federal Court of Australia will hand down its decision in a landmark Australian climate case brought by Torres Strait Islanders Uncle Paul and Uncle Pabai who allege that the government's failure to adequately address climate change breaches its duty of care to protect the Islanders from the impacts of rising sea levels and other climate-related threats - Cairns

6.00pm (AEST) - Stars of The Fantastic Four: First Steps including Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby will walk the blue carpet at its launch in Sydney

6.30pm (AEST) - Basketball: FIBA Women’s Asia Cup Group B - Japan v Australia - Guangdong Province, China, watch on Kayo

7.30pm (AEST) - Wrexham FC v Sydney FC - Sydney, watch on Paramount+

PM Anthony Albanese will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing

ABS data release - overseas arrivals and departures, Australia, May 2025

Statehood Day in Ukraine

World Youth Skills Day 

Anniversary of:

• the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, which was the key to deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs (1799)

• the birthdays of Rembrandt (1606) and Emmeline Pankhurst (1858)

• the founding of the Boeing Company (1916)

• the divorce of Prince Charles and Princess Diana (1996)

• the murder of Gianni Versace in front of his home in Miami (1997)