16 May 2026 - Saturday Squiz

Apparently, country music is on the rise right now, but we’ve kind of known that since that kid was yodelling in Walmart in 2018… This weekend, if you’re keen to relive some Aussie sporting glory, looking for a bargain, or have anything else you’d like to share, hit reply.

⏱️ Reading time: 8 minutes

🎧 Listen to the Weekly Wrap with Claire Kimball and Kate Watson

This week’s top 5 news stories

The week’s most mentioned news stories in Australia across TV, radio and print, according to media analytics firm Streem.

1. Budget Day has been and gone - And 2 of the most talked about changes are reforms to capital gains tax (CGT) and negative gearing. There’s a bit to it all, so here’s an article on the Budget and how it’ll affect you. (And check out our News Club podcast this week to understand the politics of it all)…

2. What’s happening in the Middle East? - There’s a bit to keep up with, but the things to note are that President Trump has rejected the latest peace proposal from Iran. Both Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping agreed during their meeting this week that the Strait of Hormuz needs to open, but there’s no sense that China’s stepping in… Meanwhile, our Commonwealth Treasury modelled some worst-case scenarios for oil prices, and look, we’re not here to ruin your weekend, so let’s move on…

3. Hantavirus contained…? - Passengers stuck on the hantavirus-hit cruise ship were finally able to head home after Spanish authorities allowed them to dock in the Canary Islands last weekend. The Aussies on board landed in Perth yesterday, and they’ve all tested negative for the disease, but will quarantine for 3 weeks just to be safe…

4. Magic in the air in Brisbane - As 16 (out of 17) NRL teams are playing at Suncorp Stadium this weekend… The festivities kicked off on Thursday with game 2 of the Women’s State of Origin, where the NSW Blues defeated Queensland. You can catch the games on 9Now this weekend…

5. A tough week for the British PM - Keir Starmer’s leadership of the UK Labour Party is on life support as a growing number of his MPs are calling for him to pack it in… Local elections there last week saw his party lose almost 1,500 council seats, and all eyes are on whether someone will mount a challenge in the coming days/weeks. Talk about Starmer drama…

It’s you against the news…

Reckon you know who won the Farrer by-election last weekend? Test your news knowledge from the last week with the Squiz Quiz.

Pic of the week

This pic was taken from the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. It’s a historic site that rarely closes its doors, but they did this week in preparation for the visit from US President Donald Trump - and who wouldn’t be interested to peek into that meeting?

Winter fabrics fixed…

Merino wool and cashmere sound fab - until your jumper pills or loses its shape by lunchtime. Australian brand Paire has gone back to the fibre itself, changing how it’s made so your garment breathes better, holds its shape, and feels lighter than you'd expect. The AW26 collection is available now.

In the Kitchen

This is so simple that calling it a recipe feels like an exaggeration… If you haven’t made a baked brie, it’s a fun and easy way to maximise your cheese enjoyment. And we feel cheese enjoyment is a priority life goal, so it’s time well spent. This recipe is great for entertaining, but feel free to be selfish and knock it together for yourself.

What we Shortcut for you this week

Australia’s immigration debate - Some experts say the record high number of people coming to live in Australia is putting a squeeze on housing and adding to cost of living pressures - others say our economy needs it. There’s a lot of noise, so in this Squiz Shortcut, we’ll get you across the facts, what experts are saying, and where the major parties sit. Read that here or listen up.

Is the social media ban working? - Australia’s world-first social media ban for children under 16yo has been in place for around 5 months now. New studies are giving us a clearer picture of how it’s going, so in this Squiz Shortcut, we’ve got Squiz Kids chief Bryce Corbett talk about whether it’s working, what the reaction has been and what’s next. Read here or listen to the pod here.

Squiz the Week

Saturday - Melbourne City is playing Wellington Phoenix in the Women’s A-League grand final at 4.15pm in Melbourne - you can catch it on 10play. And voters in Stafford in Brisbane’s inner north are heading to the polls for a by-election.

Sunday - The Eurovision grand final is on bright and early at 5am… You can watch Aussie Delta Goodrem perform her song Eclipse (and all the other grand finalists) on SBS. And happy birthday 8th to the Squiz Today podcast - it seems like just yesterday when Kate and Claire threw their voices out there for all to hear…

Monday - The Academy of Country Music Awards begin at 10am in Las Vegas, you can watch that on Prime Video. And Australia Made Week begins, encouraging shoppers to buy locally made when you can.

Tuesday - The Chelsea Flower Show (aka the Met Gala of gardening) begins in London, it’s on until 23 May… 🌷

Wednesday - At 12.30pm, the Coalition’s Treasury spokesman Tim Wilson will deliver his Budget in reply address to the National Press Club in Canberra. And do you believe in life after love? Singer/actress/icon Cher turns 80yo today.

Thursday - The Mandalorian & Grogu is released in Australian theatres. And it’s Tasmania's Budget day.

Friday - Vivid Sydney kicks off and is on until 13 June.

*Times in AEST