Wednesday, 4 September - Feeling good as hell

Good morning, it’s Wednesday, 4 September. In your Squiz Today…

• The CFMEU takes its fight against the Albanese Government to the High Court

• The Pope goes on tour

• And de Minaur’s acing it at the US Open… 🎾

🎧 Listen to the podcast

🤓 This email will take you 5 minutes to read

Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Is a term coined by UK journalist Ellen C Scott that describes a new trend sweeping British workplaces that allows staff to choose their hours based on their natural sleep patterns. Most of us could only dream of such flexibility…

Uniting over a union challenge

The Squiz

The Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) is back in the headlines with former officials from its construction arm - led by ex-National President Jade Ingham - launching a High Court challenge against the federal government over their dismissals. They’re arguing that the laws allowing the government to forcibly place the division into administration last month over claims of criminal misconduct and links to organised crime are “unconstitutional” and that it should be returned to the “rightful ownership” of members. PM Anthony Albanese responded yesterday - he said the government is “cleaning up the industry, and we make no apologies for it.”

Back it up a bit…

You can catch up on the CFMEU saga here, but to get to the crux of what this High Court move is about… After the union’s corruption claims surfaced, the Albanese Government, supported by the Coalition, passed new legislation to force the union to accept administrators taking control. Reports say that was because of delays in a Fair Work application to appoint an independent administrator. But the High Court challenge suggests that didn’t allow for due democratic process - with Ingham saying ex-officials’ concern is that the union “has been ripped away”. “This is all about political control. It’s not about criminality and corruption,” he said. Albanese isn’t phased, saying the challenge didn’t come as a surprise after former Victorian CFMEU construction boss John Setka launched separate legal action following his expulsion from the Labor Party. “We will stand by our position,” Albanese said.

What’s next?

This’ll likely be in the news again next week when Parliament returns with the Coalition renewing its push for the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) to be reinstated. It’s a regulator that Coalition governments put in place only for Labor governments to dismantle - which the Albanese Government did in early 2023. But given the CFMEU’s issues, the Coalition got it on the legislative agenda… In the meantime, an independent review of the CFMEU is being undertaken, with a report due later this year… And while we’re talking politics, the NSW branch of the Liberal Party will be taken over by the federal executive for 10 months. It comes after the NSW division missed the deadline to nominate 140 candidates in 16 councils for the upcoming local elections. The state branch has until tomorrow to comply, so expect to hear more on that today…

Giving a boost to local heroes

Here at Squiz HQ, we love stories about local people making a positive impact in their local communities - and so does the team behind Westfield Local Heroes. We’ve spoken about the program a lot recently, so you probably know by now that it’s about shining a light on individuals making a difference. The goal is to help the finalists – to achieve their goals faster with financial support, raising awareness of their work and receive some community recognition. You can vote for your local hero and help them receive their share of $30,000 worth of grants at each Westfield destination at westfield.com.au/local-heroes

Squiz the Rest

The Pontiff pops in

Pope Francis landed in Jakarta yesterday, kicking off a historic 12-day tour of the Asia-Pacific, which will also see him visit Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore. Experts say the trip is a “show of strength” and a nod to the growing importance of Asia as one of the few regions where Catholicism is on the up. His itinerary is action-packed, and there’s been some commentary that the 87yo will be pushing it to complete the 40 scheduled events given his health issues, which saw him arrive in a wheelchair. But that didn’t dampen the spirits of the well-wishers who came out for the first papal visit to Indonesia in 30 years. Climate change and geopolitics will be high on his Holiness’s agenda, along with his push for sustainable development practices to protect people and the environment. 

A case of she said, she said

Linda Reynolds made a surprise appearance in Western Oz's Supreme Court yesterday as her lawyer Martin Bennett began his closing arguments in her defamation case against former staffer Brittany Higgins. Bennett accused an "arrogant" Higgins of “trivialising” the Senator’s pain from the "sanctity of France", where she currently lives. He also said the "attacks" on Reynolds were built on a “litany of lies” and that Higgins’ 2021 The Project interview with journalist Lisa Wilkinson showed the "visceral hatred" she had for her former employer. Higgins' lawyer Rachael Young SC has already wrapped up their side of things, denying any plan to bring down Reynolds or the Morrison Government. Instead, she said Higgins was motivated to bring her alleged attacker Bruce Lehrmann to justice. The closing submissions should wrap up today.

Myer’s sassy move

Fans of Aussie fashion label Sass & Bide will soon have to visit their local Myer or its website as the department store - which has owned the brand since 2013 - has decided to close all of the standalone boutiques. Ten stores will shut in Oz/Kiwiland to cut costs and boost sales for the Myer mothership by up to $95 million - and it needs it… Sass & Bide sales haven’t been great, which contributed to about a $20 million decline in Myer’s full-year profits, triggering its share price to fall last month (but it’s since recovered…). The move is part of a bigger strategy to expand 2 of its other big labels in-store - Marcs and David Lawrence - and to purchase several well-known brands, including Jay Jays and Just Jeans, that are owned by Premier Investments. 

Breaking boundaries, not bones

Some of our top scientists are getting a pat on the back after making a world-first stem cell research breakthrough that could put an end to the hunt for bone marrow donors and eliminate the need for extensive chemotherapy. Experts at Murdoch Children's Research Institute have created lab-grown blood stem cells (which can become any type of cell in the body) and successfully transplanted them into mice. Lead researcher Professor Elizabeth Ng says it means doctors can “make blood cells that are perfectly matched to a patient" so they’ll suffer fewer unpleasant side effects. It’s hoped the work could help people with leukaemia, serious blood disorders and children with tumours. Human trials are still about 5 years away, but experts say it has huge potential to improve the lives/prospects of patients. How good is that…

Playing like a Demon

Alex de Minaur has become the first Aussie since Lleyton Hewitt nearly 20 years ago to make it through to 3 consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinals after defeating fellow countryman/mate Jordan Thompson in a fourth-round US Open match yesterday. ‘The Demon’ won in 4 sets, taking the first 6-0, saying he “​​couldn’t have asked for a better start” to the match. The result means the 10th seed will now do battle with English world #25 Jack Draper on Thursday. Reports say de Minaur will have the upper hand as he’s defeated him in all 3 of their previous clashes. It’s a significant turnaround for the 25yo after his Wimbledon and Olympics dreams were crushed by a dodgy hip… And overnight at the Paralympics, runner James Turner has sprinted his way to a gold medal in the men’s 400m T36 final, breaking his own world record to win his third gold in 3 straight Games. Go Aussie!

Apropos of Nothing

Grand Designs host Kevin McCloud has revealed his biggest bugbear from the popular TV show - he thinks homes with more bathrooms than people are ridiculous. Or should that be loodicrous?

Shanghai Museum is rolling out the red carpet for cat lovers by hosting ‘Meow Night’ every Saturday when feline fanciers can bring their 4-legged friend along to check out Ancient Egyptian cat imagery in its latest exhibit. Sounds like a pawfect night out…

Harry Potter fans can strike London’s Kings Cross Station off their bucket list, as an annual announcement that the fictional Hogwarts Express would depart from platform 9 ¾ at 11am on 1 September has been cancelled. Fans of the books/films are definitely not on board…

Squiz the Day

9.00am (AEST) - The Department of Pacific Affairs' biennial State of the Pacific (SOTP) Conference begins (until 5 September) - Canberra

12.00pm (AEST) - Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli will address the Queensland Rural Press Club - Brisbane

12.00pm (AEST) - NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson, WaterNSW and Sydney Water heads along with PFAS experts to speak at a CEDA event in Sydney

12.30pm (AEST) - Chair of the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz will address the National Press Club on the housing crisis - Canberra 

3.00pm (AEST) - Meta to face additional questions at a public hearing into Social Media in Australia - Canberra

6.30pm (AEST) - 2024 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes for contributions to science - Sydney

10.50pm (AEST) - Men's Cricket First T20I - Australia v Scotland - UK, and watch on Kayo

ABS data release - Monthly Household Spending Indicator, July; Australian National Accounts, June quarter 

Indigenous Literacy Day 

International Taekwondo Day

Birthdays for Dawn Fraser (1937), Mark Ronson (1975), Samantha Armytage (1976) and Beyoncé (1981)

Anniversary of:

• English astronomer Edmond Halley first observing the comet - now named after him (1682)

• the founding of the city of Los Angeles (1781)

• Britain ending its policy of penal transportation to NSW (1884)

• English author Beatrix Potter first writing the story of Peter Rabbit for a 5yo boy (1893)

• Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam withdrawing a controversial extradition bill to China after three months of massive protests (2019)

• the deaths of Steve Irwin (2006) and Joan Rivers (2014)