Tuesday, 26 August - Slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat

Good morning, it’s Tuesday, 26 August. In your Squiz Today…

• Erin Patterson set to be sentenced after the loved ones of her victims are heard in court

• Israel has been condemned after strikes on the biggest hospital in southern Gaza

• And demon-hunting pop stars kill it at the box office…

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Squiz Sayings

Said Aussie basketball champ Andrew Gaze, who, along with cricketing icon Belinda Clark, was yesterday made a Legend of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. But with a stack of titles and World Cup appearances under their belts, we’d say they’re both right where they belong… 

Fury and forgiveness for Erin Patterson

The Squiz

Ian Wilkinson, the surviving victim of Erin Patterson’s fatal beef wellington lunch, told a pre-sentencing hearing at Victoria’s Supreme Court yesterday that he would forgive her for attempting to kill him but was seeking justice for the “harms done” to those she murdered. Wilkinson - a practising Baptist pastor - lost his wife, brother-in-law and sister-in-law in 2023 but said he is “no longer Erin Patterson’s victim … she has become the victim of my kindness”. And a statement from Patterson’s husband Simon was delivered by a family member - he said their 2 children will face a life full of challenges because (amongst other things…) “almost everyone else knows their mother murdered their grandparents.”

What’s this hearing all about? 

After Patterson was found guilty of lacing the meal with toxic death cap mushrooms that killed Wilkinson’s wife Heather, and Don and Gail Patterson, they’ve moved on to the next stage. As part of the prosecution’s submission to the judge on sentencing, they submit ‘victim impact statements’, which are designed to show the toll the crime has taken on the victims, their loved ones and the community. Statements can be read by others or shared with the judge privately, but Wilkinson delivered his in person. Patterson was in attendance yesterday - the first time she’s been in court since a jury found her guilty on 7 July. Reports say she was upset during Wilkinson’s statement, but he did not look at her, choosing to address Justice Christopher Beale directly instead.  

Where to from here? 

It’s onto Patterson being sentenced, which has been set down for 8 September. As for what that should be, Justice Beale heard arguments from the prosecution and defence yesterday - and there’s no surprise that the prosecution is arguing for the maximum sentence of life without parole. Patterson’s defence team isn’t arguing the life in prison bit, but wants a fixed date for when she’ll become eligible for parole. We also heard a bit about Patterson’s life in prison yesterday - she’s currently spending around 22 hours a day in her cell in a restricted part of the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre on the western outskirts of Melbourne. That’s a situation that Justice Beale said “doesn’t sound very humane”. He’ll consider all of that as he decides on Patterson’s sentence over the coming fortnight…

Getting energy savvy with Origin

Season 3 of Origin’s So Watt? podcast is packed with easy hacks to make your home run smoother (and cheaper). Over 10 episodes, energy experts go room by room, sharing tips on how to spot energy-sucking appliances to help you save on your energy bills. It’s the smart stuff you didn’t know you needed. Start listening here or check it out on your favourite podcast app.

Squiz the Rest

Deadly strikes on a Gaza hospital

At least 20 people have been killed, including 5 journalists and health workers, in Israeli military strikes on a hospital in Khan Younis at the southern end of the strip late yesterday. Reuters cameraman Hussam al-Masri died in the initial strike, and when the site was struck a second time, the Associated Press’s Mariam Abu Dagga, Al Jazeera's Mohammed Salama, and freelancers Moaz Abu Taha and Ahmed Abu Aziz were killed. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu called it a "tragic mishap" that will be investigated. But there is growing international condemnation, and the Committee to Protect Journalists - a leader in promoting press freedom - says the war in Gaza has been the deadliest conflict for journalists ever documented. The estimate is that more than 240 Palestinian journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 2023.

Earlier support for first home buyers

Thousands more Aussies could be jumping into the super-tight housing market in just over a month, with the Albanese Government bringing forward a bunch of measures giving a leg-up to first-time owners. The home guarantee scheme - which means buyers only need a 5% deposit - was due to kick off in January, but that’s now been pulled forward to 1 October. PM Anthony Albanese has also scrapped any income limits on people who can access the scheme - and they can also bid on more expensive houses. Reaction has been mixed - economist Saul Eslake reckons “16 years of evidence” suggests it “will result in more expensive housing”, and the Insurance Council agrees (paywall)... Still, would-be buyers briefly crashed the government website looking for info yesterday. 

Climate change on and off track… 

Speaking of government announcements, the latest numbers showing Australia's greenhouse emissions are 28% below 2005 levels were released yesterday. That means we’re on track for the 43% cut by 2030 that we’ve committed to, mainly due to renewables hitting 40% of our energy mix. Meanwhile, the Coalition's revisiting things… On the weekend, Queensland’s LNP decided to scrap the net-zero by 2050 target as a party policy, and debate has started on former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce’s bill to repeal several of the country’s climate laws. Australia wants to host the 2026 UN climate summit in Adelaide (pitched as the first "Pacific COP"), but things have stalled because rival bidder Turkey won't withdraw despite having no support. If nothing's sorted in 3 months, neither of us will get it. That’ll learn us… 

Slop slap slip… 

A couple of popular sunscreen brands have been pulled from Aussie stores after testing showed their SPF claims were off. You might remember back in June when consumer advocates CHOICE published a report that said 16 of the 20 sunscreens they tested wouldn’t offer the protection claimed. That led to a barney over the accuracy of testing methods, but in recent days, 2 brands have said their own testing also showed there were problems. One of those wasn’t tested by CHOICE - Naked Sundays Collagen Glow Mineral Sunscreen, but the other, Ultra Violette’s Lean Screen, was the worst-performing sunscreen according to the CHOICE research. The Therapeutic Goods Administration, which regulates sunscreen in Australia, says an investigation is underway to check others…  

A Netflix hit conquers cinemas

It was an unusual weekend at the cinemas this weekend, with a film that’s been out on Netflix for weeks winning the US box office and attracting heaps of Aussie fans as well. KPop Demon Hunters is an animated musical fantasy film starring a fictional Korean pop group. Based on the title, it won’t surprise you that apart from their singing gig, they also have a second life hunting demons, because everyone needs a side hustle… The film’s success rides mainly on its music - it features a stack of K-pop bangers - and it’s become the second-most-watched film in the streamer’s history. It’s become so big that Netflix sent a sing-along version to cinemas, where it’s quickly become the #1 film there as well. It’s a genuine pop culture phenomenon - here’s a good explainer of why it’s become such a big deal.

Apropos of Nothing

It’s the kind of sale most basketball card collectors dream about, a card featuring legends of the sport Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant has sold for $20 million at an auction in the US. That makes it the highest-selling card of all time and a very good investment… 

Squawks, chirps and coos are familiar sounds to Hongkongers, and on Saturday locals got to put their impressions to the test at the city’s inaugural bird call contest. In the end, it was the call of a Eurasian tree sparrow that soared to the top, but one owl sounded like a real hoot… 

You’ve heard of raw-dogging flights, now get ready for bare-beating on trains. It’s where passengers play music or videos out loud, and it’s caught the eye - or, ear - of Irish Rail. They’ve announced fines of up to $180 for failing to use headphones, so best to plug in…

Squiz the Day

8.30am (AEST) - The Australia-ASEAN Business Forum begins - Adelaide

9.00am (AEST) - Australia’s Ambassador for Gender Equity Michelle O’Byrne will open the Australian Women, Peace and Security Conference - Brisbane 

11.30am (AEST) - Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles will address the National Press Club as part of National Skills Week - Canberra 

11:30am (AEST) - Minutes of the Reserve Bank’s August board meeting will be released 

Paul Kelly's largest national tour begins in Perth. He first performed in 1974 with just 2 songs - from little things, big things grow…  

It’s the UN Special Day at World Expo 2025 Osaka - check out the Virtual Expo here

Christmas Island Bird'n'Nature Week gets underway (until 2 September) - Christmas Island

Ganesh Chaturthi - a Hindu celebration of the birth of Lord Ganesh (until 27 August)

Birthdays for former Governor-General David Hurley (1953), Macaulay Culkin (1980) and Chris Pine (1980)

Anniversary of:

• American women winning the right to vote with the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution (1920), now celebrated as Women’s Equality Day in the US (1920)

• the birthday of Mother Teresa (1910)

• the release of The Beatles’ Hey Jude (1968) [Note: Cookie Monster’s version is Hey Food…]