News Club

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This is the week in news and what’s coming up with Claire Kimball and Kate Watson.

The 'blue wave', the 'bluenami' - whatever superlative you use to describe it - it was a historic win for the democratic party in the US mid-term election. We’ll get you across what happened, then pull out a couple of notable things that happened to focus on, and move on to what it means for US President Donald Trump, and for the presidential race in 2028.

Back home, the Reserve Bank lifted rates again to the highest level in 18 years, and government spending has become the centre of the inflation debate. Plus Canva announced redundancies affecting more than a fifth of its staff, and David Jones went into administration after 188 years.

In the week ahead: New Zealand votes, the Rugby League World Cup semis, Victoria’s construction royal commission begins public hearings, COP31 starts in Türkiye, and the Booker Prize is announced.

Links

The ABC’s explainer on government spending and inflation

Lauren Sams on shopping at Myer and David Jones (AFR)

Canva’s approach to its redundancies (AFR)

Canva’s announcement to staff

You Can See Everything Trailer

Our Shortcut on Victoria’s construction industry - Spotify | Apple

Our Shortcut on the New Zealand election - Spotify | Apple

Kate’s recommendation: Rampart Talks interview with Betashares founder Alex Vynokur

Claire’s recommendation: R.M. Williams Boot Enamel Keyring

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PS: If you love what we do, the best way to support us is by clicking ‘follow’ on Apple or Spotify. A huge thanks to those who drop us a 5-star review, or even better - spread the word about News Club with your friends, family, colleagues... even your barista.

Hosts: Claire Kimball & Kate Watson

Producer & Editor: Ryan Pemberton

Researcher: Sophie Felice

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After nearly 10 years, you can now become a supporter of The Squiz. Kate Watson explains why we’ve changed our tune, and why our content will always stay free. Back agenda-free, independent Australian news here.

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This is the week in news and what’s coming up with Claire Kimball and Eliza Harvey.

We’re starting with Anthropic, the AI company behind the Claude chatbot. It’s filed to list on the Nasdaq in what could be the biggest float ever, with a valuation in the trillions of dollars. We’ll take you through what’s in the filing, what analysts are saying, and how, if it all comes off, it could end up in your super.

Then, it’s been a big week for elections. Brazil’s President Lula has won an unprecedented fourth term, and Israel has voted in its first election since the October 7 attacks, with no clear path to government yet. Back home, the PM has admitted he got it wrong about what a $6 million grant to Marrickville Golf Club was for. And Virgin reckons it’s the first Australian airline to serve hot chips onboard - a milestone that’s got Claire excited and Eliza dubious.

In the week ahead, the RBA is expected to lift rates on Melbourne Cup day, Americans vote in the midterms, and the Victorian election officially kicks off.

Links

SPONSORED: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stockland⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, helping give you an understanding of the property market.

Our Shortcut on the New Zealand election

Eliza’s recommendation: Blockers by Michael Lewis

Claire’s recommendation: Uniqlo EZY Wide Straight Jeans

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Watch all our episodes ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on YouTube⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram:⁠⁠⁠ @TheSquiz⁠⁠

PS: If you love what we do, the best way to support us is by clicking ‘follow’ on Apple or Spotify. A huge thanks to those who drop us a 5-star review, or even better - spread the word about News Club with your friends, family, colleagues... even your barista.

Hosts: Claire Kimball & Eliza Harvey

Producer & Editor: Ryan Pemberton

Researcher: Sophie Felice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the week in news and what’s coming up with Claire Kimball and Kate Watson.

First, the attack on independent MP Helen Haines outside her Wangaratta electorate office on Monday. We look at who Helen Haines is, from her decades as a nurse and midwife in north-east Victoria to becoming the Member for Indi in 2019. Then we turn to the bigger questions the week raised: how exposed electorate offices and their staff are, what security agencies are saying about rising threats against politicians, and the state of our political debate. 

Then to France, where protests that started over conditions in public schools escalated into rioting and looting across the country. 

In the week ahead - it’s Media Literacy Week, Western Sydney Airport opens to passengers, and Israel votes in its first election since October 7. 

Links

Squiz Kids host Bryce Corbett’s conversation with Governor-General Sam Mostyn - Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

ABC RN Top 100 Australian Books

Ranking Every Taylor Swift Song, From 270 to 1

Our Shortcut on Israel's high stakes election

Claire’s recommendation: Setex Gecko Grip anti-slip nose pads for glasses 

Kate’s recommendation: Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang

Want more News Club in your life? We've got you…

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Watch all our episodes ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on YouTube⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram:⁠⁠⁠ @TheSquiz⁠⁠

PS: If you love what we do, the best way to support us is by clicking ‘follow’ on Apple or Spotify. A huge thanks to those who drop us a 5-star review, or even better - spread the word about News Club with your friends, family, colleagues... even your barista.

Hosts: Claire Kimball & Kate Watson

Producer & Editor: Ryan Pemberton

Researcher: Sophie Felice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the week in news and what’s coming up with Claire Kimball and Kate Watson.

It’s been a week of policy battles in parliament - the ATO delaying the credit card ban, changes to family trusts that have small business cranky, and Josh Frydenberg promoting his new memoir and making pointed comments about Liberal leadership.

Then to the US. Donald Trump has a new press secretary whose first appearance went viral, and the planned livestream of an execution has been cancelled, but raised hard questions about what our government could have done to stop it being shown here.

And the Trump–Zelensky relationship has taken another hit, this time over diesel. We’ll explain how a deal to import Russian fuel connects to petrol prices, the midterms, and Ukraine losing satellite access mid-war.

Plus the leap second has been abolished. (And for the timekeeping pedants listening, we see you: leap seconds have always added a second, not removed one. The vote ending them means we avoid the first ever negative leap second, so technically we've dodged losing one.)

Links

Uber x Red Cross Clothing Drive

Kate’s recommendation: Politico’s Canberra Playbook Newsletter and Podcast

Claire’s recommendation: Chicken meatball risoni recipe

Want more News Club in your life? We've got you…

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for our News Club newsletter⁠⁠

Watch all our episodes ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on YouTube⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram:⁠⁠⁠ @TheSquiz⁠⁠

PS: If you love what we do, the best way to support us is by clicking ‘follow’ on Apple or Spotify. A huge thanks to those who drop us a 5-star review, or even better - spread the word about News Club with your friends, family, colleagues... even your barista.

Hosts: Claire Kimball & Kate Watson

Producer & Editor: Ryan Pemberton

Researcher: Sophie Felice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Note: this episode discusses domestic violence. If you need support, 1800RESPECT is on 1800 737 732. And Lifeline is 13 11 14.

This is the week in news and what’s coming up with Claire Kimball and Anna Pykett.

We’re starting with Firmus, the AI data centre company whose float fell apart this week. It was set to be the biggest listing since Telstra, and it collapsed in a matter of days. We’ll take you through how it all unfolded and why it’s been so big in the news this week.

Then to former Bachelor star and fitness entrepreneur Sam Wood, who has been refused bail on domestic violence charges.

And the Christa Pike case in Tennessee - a woman who survived her own execution and woke up in hospital six days later.

Links

Jeffrey Archer's final Australian interview

Anna’s recommendation: The Celebrity Traitors UK Season 2 on Channel 10 or Paramount+

Claire’s recommendation: A Failed Execution and the Future of the Death Penalty - The Daily Podcast

Want more News Club in your life? We've got you…

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for our News Club newsletter⁠⁠

Watch all our episodes ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on YouTube⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram:⁠⁠⁠ @TheSquiz⁠⁠

PS: If you love what we do, the best way to support us is by clicking ‘follow’ on Apple or Spotify. A huge thanks to those who drop us a 5-star review, or even better - spread the word about News Club with your friends, family, colleagues... even your barista.

Hosts: Claire Kimball & Anna Pykett

Producer & Editor: Ryan Pemberton

Researcher: Sophie Felice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the week in news and what’s coming up with Claire Kimball and Eliza Harvey.

We’re starting with the FlyDubai flight that nearly didn’t make it to Tel Aviv. The co-pilot stabbed the captain in what appears to have been an attempted hijacking. We'll take you through it, what's still unknown, and what it might mean for the upcoming Israeli elections.

Then the economy, which was impossible to avoid this week. A rate rise, home prices falling for a sixth month, and a disagreement between the Treasurer and the Reserve Bank about what’s to blame. We've tried to do it without drowning you in numbers.

And Fat Bear Week has a winner.

Links

Eliza’s recommendation: Roll the Calls by Ari Emanuel

Claire’s recommendation: LIVFRESH Gel Toothpaste

Want more News Club in your life? We've got you…

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for our News Club newsletter⁠⁠

Watch all our episodes ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on YouTube⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram:⁠⁠⁠ @TheSquiz⁠⁠

PS: If you love what we do, the best way to support us is by clicking ‘follow’ on Apple or Spotify. A huge thanks to those who drop us a 5-star review, or even better - spread the word about News Club with your friends, family, colleagues... even your barista.

Hosts: Claire Kimball & Eliza Harvey

Producer & Editor: Ryan Pemberton

Researcher: Sophie Felice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the week in news and what’s coming up with Claire Kimball and Kate Watson.

We’re starting with the OpenAI agent that gained unauthorised access to a Medicare service portal. We’ll get into what we know so far about what happened, and how we came to learn about the hack only this week, when it happened all the way back in June.

Then to Trump and Xi’s meeting. It’s the first time a Chinese president has been on US soil since 2015 (and that was also Xi). On the agenda for the two presidents - AI, Iran, and rare earth minerals.

In what’s coming up, the AFL grand final, and an interest rate decision on Tuesday with all four big banks expecting a rise.

Links

Kate’s recommendation: The 2026 Squiz Audience Report

Claire’s recommendation: One tray sausage, potato, tomato and caramelised onion bake - Elizabeth Hewson

Want more News Club in your life? We've got you…

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for our News Club newsletter⁠⁠

Watch all our episodes ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on YouTube⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram:⁠⁠⁠ @TheSquiz⁠⁠

PS: If you love what we do, the best way to support us is by clicking ‘follow’ on Apple or Spotify. A huge thanks to those who drop us a 5-star review, or even better - spread the word about News Club with your friends, family, colleagues... even your barista.

Hosts: Claire Kimball & Kate Watson

Producer & Editor: Ryan Pemberton

Researcher: Sophie Felice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the week in news and what’s coming up with Kate Watson and Eliza Harvey.

We're starting with the AI warnings that dominated the week. A researcher who worked at OpenAI and Anthropic quit, saying both companies are racing toward something they can't control. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei agreed, calling for tech leaders to 'pace the frontier'. There are differing perspectives to cover here though - others say the warnings are overblown or insincere.

Then to migration. The government has given it's policy announcement this week. We'll take you through what actually changes for students, backpackers and visitors, how it compares to One Nation's much bigger proposed cuts, and why the housing question sits underneath all of it.

And Cue and Veronica Maine have gone into administration. Changes to how we dress for work might be responsible.

Links

Our Shortcut to Australia and the UN Security Council

Kate’s AI research list:Jacob Coxon's resignation post on X

Dario Amodei's essay calling for the industry to slow down

A.I. Is Outsmarting Its Creators - NYT’s The Daily

Ezra Klein on the AI race with China

Trump’s worst market nightmare suddenly seems possible - AFR’s Chanticleer

Eliza’s recommendation: My Sensory Space

Want more News Club in your life? We've got you…

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for our News Club newsletter⁠⁠

Watch all our episodes ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on YouTube⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram:⁠⁠⁠ @TheSquiz⁠⁠

PS: If you love what we do, the best way to support us is by clicking ‘follow’ on Apple or Spotify. A huge thanks to those who drop us a 5-star review, or even better - spread the word about News Club with your friends, family, colleagues... even your barista.

Hosts: Kate Watson & Eliza Harvey

Producer & Editor: Ryan Pemberton

Researcher: Sophie Felice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the week in news and what’s coming up with Claire Kimball and Anna Pykett, stepping in from the Squiz Today team.

One Nation has had a bit of a wild week - questions over the party's finances, a state leader answering allegations about his past, and a controversial political cartoon about Andrew Hastie. Meanwhile the Prime Minister is under pressure over a community grant fund and a golf club membership. There’s a throughline to all this that Claire will pull together for you.

Then to Germany, where the far-right AfD has won 44% in a state election - the strongest result for a right-wing party since World War II. We'll explain what it can and can't do with that, and why European leaders elsewhere are watching.

The government has introduced its Digital Duty of Care bill, which would make platforms offer you the choice to switch your algorithm off. We spoke about calls for this last week, and the government has since announced draft legislation.

And the UN has voted to back a new world map. Africa's been the wrong size for 450 years, and 54 African nations have been pushing to fix it.

Links

The West Wing map scene

Anna’s recommendations: 

Viral Biscoff Cheescake

Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (in Cinemas)

Claire’s recommendation: Season 3 of Colin From Accounts on BINGE

Want more News Club in your life? We've got you…

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for our News Club newsletter⁠⁠

Watch all our episodes ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on YouTube⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram:⁠⁠⁠ @TheSquiz⁠⁠

PS: If you love what we do, the best way to support us is by clicking ‘follow’ on Apple or Spotify. A huge thanks to those who drop us a 5-star review, or even better - spread the word about News Club with your friends, family, colleagues... even your barista.

Hosts: Claire Kimball & Anna Pykett

Producer & Editor: Ryan Pemberton

Researcher: Sophie Felice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices