Wednesday, 10 December - Here we are now, entertain us

Good morning, it’s Wednesday, 10 December. In your Squiz Today…

• It’s go time for the social media ban

• Toyah Cordingley’s killer is sentenced

• And the first-ever AI reality TV show has launched… 🤖

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Said Amanda Richardson, wife of former Labor mover/shaker Graham, who was farewelled at a State Funeral yesterday. He was a controversial figure, and it’s not controversial to say he had his share of frenemies…

It’s go time for the SMB

The Squiz

We’re talking about the social media ban for under-16yos coming into effect today, preventing hundreds of thousands of Aussie kids from accessing popular social media sites. It’s a world-first, so it’s drawn global attention - and with that in mind, Communications Minister Anika Wells (who’s spearheaded the ban alongside eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant…) says any “short-term discomfort will be worth the long-term benefits” of protecting kids. That’s a view shared by many experts, but others remain sceptical about how it will work, including the affected platforms… 

So what can we expect?

Well, we’re already seeing tech issues… This article explains how kids have been able to bypass Snapchat’s visual age verification check. In response, a spokesperson for the company said it - like other platforms affected - has repeatedly “expressed concerns about the technical challenges”, but said they’ll also allow parents to report children’s accounts if they want it flagged. Meta platforms (Instagram and Facebook are the big ones…) will have a similar reporting feature, while TikTok says it will continue searching for underage accounts - so for kids who bypass the age verification processes, they might later be caught. Despite those challenges, PM Anthony Albanese says they know the process won’t be “100% perfect”, but “the message this law sends will be 100% clear”.

So we’ll see Wells out and about today?

Probably - but if she is holding any pressers, she won't just be asked about the social media ban. The attention on her spending of parliamentary entitlements is only growing as the week goes on and more expenses surface. Wells insists the spending is "within the rules" and yesterday asked parliament's expenses watchdog to audit her use of them. As for her critics, “doesn’t pass the pub test” is the phrase getting a workout… That’s particularly the case with her use of family reunion entitlements (which Wells cashed in to fly her family to Thredbo for a ski trip and her husband to various sporting finals…). Analysts say many politicians avoid using those benefits because they know it’s not a great look when they’re tallied up - as Wells is finding out…

A fix for an overstuffed suitcase

If you’re anything like us, packing for the holidays means a bulging suitcase... Brisbane brand Simplify Living has created vacuum travel bags that compress without any equipment - just roll the air out and watch your stack halve in size, meaning you can travel without the bulk. Once you see how much space you save, it changes how you think about packing... Find out more here.

Squiz the Rest

Zelensky says nemaye

Ukraine is set to hand the US a revised version of its peace plan after rejecting proposals to give up territory. President Volodymyr Zelensky has the support of his European counterparts for the revised deal, with UK PM Keir Starmer insisting, "we must continue to ramp up support to Ukraine and economic pressure on Putin". US President Donald Trump has been getting antsy with Zelensky, and in an interview with Politico overnight, he said Ukraine is going to have to “play ball” on ceding land as “Russia has the upper hand” and “at some point, size will win”. Trump also called European leaders “weak” in their efforts to end the war, saying they “talk but don’t produce” - a point Starmer and Zelensky pushed back on, saying their peace deal revisions were ready to present to Washington as early as today. 

Life behind bars…

…is the sentence that’s been handed to former nurse Rajwinder Singh after he was found guilty of murdering 24yo Toyah Cordingley on Wangetti Beach in Far North Queensland in 2018. Singh was sentenced yesterday in Cairns Supreme Court to at least 25 years in jail by Justice Lincoln Crowley, who said Toyah may have caught her killer in “activity of a sexual or perverted nature” on the secluded beach. The judge described Singh as a “gutless coward” who murdered Toyah in a “sickening act of violence and depravity” and then tried to cover up his crime. In Victim Impact Statements, the court heard Toyah was “a vibrant, outgoing, beautiful person … loved and cherished by her family and friends”. Justice Crowley told Singh: “Your actions have caused irreparable harm … and a void that will never be filled”. 

Steady as she goes

The Reserve Bank has warned that there may be more mortgage pain on the way for homeowners, if inflation isn’t brought under control… While the RBA kept rates on hold at 3.6% yesterday - the 3rd straight meeting with no change - it now says the persistent high costs of things like housing and electricity mean “risks to inflation have tilted to the upside”. That’s a bit of sobering news if you’ve got a loan, with some economists now predicting the next move on interest rates - due in February next year - could be up. Governor Michele Bullock reckons the January quarterly inflation figures will be key to the RBA’s next move - but an “extended hold” or a rate rise are the most likely options… 

A movie biz thriller

There’s been a dramatic twist to the mega-deal between Netflix and Warner Bros Discovery, with rival studio Paramount yesterday launching a hostile takeover bid. That means it bypassed the WB board and took an offer of $45 per share directly to shareholders. There's been criticism of the proposed Netflix merger due to competition rules - including from the Trump administration. But some Democrats have also raised concerns about a deal with Paramount. CEO David Ellison has close ties with President Trump, and investors backing the deal include Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner's firm. But Ellison believes his offer would better serve the industry and audiences through increased competition, saying it “will create a stronger Hollywood.” As for what’s next - get the popcorn ready… 

A new TV reality… 

We'll give almost any TV genre a go, so we're pretty excited a whole new thing has just landed that isn't centred around dating or cooking... Non Player Combat is the first-ever reality show where all the contestants have been created by AI and has been described as a mix of "Hunger Games, Fortnite and Traitors". The first 4-episode series has just launched on YouTube - with contestants battling a hostile environment, deadly creatures and each other… to the death. The boss of AiMation Studios Tom Paton reckons "Hollywood is in freefall" and younger viewers won't care if it's AI "if they're entertained". The makers reckon it costs about a tenth of traditional reality TV, so it's not surprising they're already attracting interest from global broadcasters… 

Apropos of Nothing - Winners edition

Proud mullet wearers gathered in all their flowing glory to celebrate Mulletfest in the NSW town of Kurri Kurri last weekend - and as this gallery shows, no matter the length, it’s always business at the front, party at the back…

Aussie mogul skiers Matt Graham and Jakara Anthony have blitzed their Winter Olympics lead-up, winning gold in the men's and women’s World Cup moguls events on Monday night. As Graham said - it’s not bad for a couple of skiers from a “beach nation”. 

Also celebrating hard was F1 driver Lando Norris, who partied until 6am after winning this year’s Drivers’ Championship in Abu Dhabi. The Brit then found himself at Maccas with a Sausage McMuffin in hand - some might say, a breakfast of champions...

Squiz the Day

Australia’s world-first legislation banning social media for under-16s comes into effect today

8.00am (AEST) - The Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters will hold a public hearing for its inquiry into the 2025 Federal Election - Brisbane

9.00am (AEDT) - The Education and Employment References Committee will hold a Senate inquiry into the Quality and Safety of Australia's Early Childhood Education and Care System - Canberra

11.30am (AEDT) - Chef and restaurateur Ben Shewry will address the National Press Club of Australia on living a creative life - Canberra

11.30am (AEDT) - The RBA will release a Chart Pack on the Australian economy and financial markets - Sydney

ABS data releases: Methodological News, December 2025; Industrial Disputes, Australia, September 2025; Estimates of Industry Level KLEMS Multifactor Productivity, 2023-24 financial year

Human Rights Day

International Animal Rights Day

🍻 National Lager Day

A birthday for actor Kenneth Branagh (1960) and songwriter/actor Teyana Taylor (1990)

Anniversary of:

• the publication of the first edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica (1768)

• the birthdays of the world's first computer programmer Ada Lovelace (1815) and poet Emily Dickinson (1830)

• the publication of Mark Twain's novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) 

• Helen Clark being sworn in as the first elected female Prime Minister in New Zealand's history (1999)

• the death of critic AA Gill (2016)