Thursday, 19 November, 2020
South Australia in lockdown; Britain bans petrol cars; Queensland wins the State of Origin; and the tiger that just kept walking.
LINKS
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EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
THE LOWDOWN
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Are you on your way to school this morning? Bag packed, lunch box filled, heart filled with joy at the thought of all the cool things you’re about to learn? Not if you’re in South Australia, you’re not – after the government there moved yesterday to put the entire state in a six day lockdown to get on top of a coronavirus cluster in the capital city of Adelaide.
Schools will be closed until late next week – which would account for that wide-eyed look of horror on the faces of your parents – along with pubs, cafes, restaurants, food courts and factories. All outdoor sports have been cancelled for six days, weddings and funerals are off and travel around the state is forbidden. And no matter where you are in South Australia, you can’t leave home except for urgent reasons. You can’t even go to the park to exercise.
It’s all thanks to the emergence of some 22 cases of coronavirus in a cluster around a suburb of Adelaide called Parafield.
Faced with the prospect of being stuck in their homes for the next six days – and in scenes reminiscent of the Great Toot Paper Panic Buying Spree of earlier this year – South Australians responded yesterday by forming long queues outside supermarkets, to stock up on supplies.
To all our friends in South Australia: you’ve got this. And if you know anyone from Melbourne, now might be a good time to check in and get some lockdown tips.
SPIN THE GLOBE
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Each day we give the world globe a spin and find a news story from wherever it stops. And today we’ve landed in the United Kingdom, where it’s been decided that new cars that use petrol or diesel will not be allowed to be sold beyond the year 2030.
It’s part of the UK government’s efforts to tackle climate change and decrease air pollution.
It’s a really big deal – as the government seeks to get as many people as possible in England driving electric cars – which are considered to do less damage to the environment.
It’s part of what the British PM, Boris Johnson has called a ‘green industrial revolution’ – which is to say a big shift in the way British people live – and get around – in an effort to combat climate change.
Norway – a country also in Europe – has introduced a similar initiative, banning the sale of new petrol and diesel-fuelled cars from 2025.
SPORTS TIME
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Before what was described as the biggest crowd at a sporting event since the COVID pandemic began, the Queensland Maroons last night held off the NSW Blues to take out this year’s State of Origin series, winning the decider in Brisbane by 20 points to 14.
Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium was a sea of maroon as the local lads held off a late surge from the boys from down south to take home the trophy.
Queensland’s Harry Grant turned in a remarkable performance on his debut, keeping the Blues on their toes while Cameron Munster took him the award for player of the series.
Football, though, was the winner on the day. Which is apparently what you’re meant to say.
ANIMAL KINGDOM
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A wild tiger in India has walked more than 3,000 kilometres to find himself a lovely new home in a wildlife sanctuary in the country’s west.
The tiger, nicknamed ‘Walker’ by wildlife officials, was fitted with a radio collar to track his movements. And over the course of the last nine months, Walker walked more than 3,000 kilometres across the countryside – either in search of prey, new territory or a lovely female tiger who might want to become Mrs Walker.
His new home, a wildlife sanctuary filled with lots of delicious wild boar, pea fowl and spotted deer – yum – has only one drawback. There are no other tigers there – much less female ones. And tigers like the company of other tigers. So conservationists are now working out whether to bring in a female tiger to keep Walker company.
Did you know that India has 70% of the world’s remaining wild tigers, with around 3000 animals. And while tiger numbers have increased in recent years – which is good news – their habitat has shrunk and that’s less good news.
SQUIZ KIDS LISTENER SURVEY
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This is a message for all the adults – the parents, the carers, the teachers – who may have Squiz Kids in their lives.
Because we’re always striving to make this podcast better – and more user-friendly – we’ve created a listener survey.
We’d really appreciate if you could spare the few minutes to fill it out. Because the more we learn about what you like about what we do, and what we can improve – the better we can make Squiz Kids.
There’s a link in today’s episode notes to the survey – which will be open until early next week.
Oh – and kids – I know you’re desperate to fill out a survey: but this one’s just for big people. Thanks.
Squiz Kids Listener Survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HKQ3H9G
THE S’QUIZ
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This is the part of the podcast where you get to test how well you’ve been listening …
- Which state of Australia has just gone into six days of lockdown?
- Which state won last night’s State of Origin?
- What sort of animal walked 3000 kilometres across India to find a new home?
SHOUT OUTS
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It’s November 19 … World Toilet Day … and no, its not a day to celebrate the remarkable invention of the toilet – but rather, an official United Nations day to draw attention to the fact that around the world, some 4.2 billion people do not have access to proper sanitation or toilet facilities.
It’s also only 36 sleeps ‘til Christmas … bring on the one-horse open-sleigh!
It’s also a special day for these Squiz Kids celebrating a birthday today … Sophia from Brisbane, Jacob from Forster, Ridley from Bridgetown, Teddy from Highton, Sidney from Melbourne, Jacob from Randwick, Charlotte from Milgate, Yasmin from Murwillumbah, Jack from Sheoak Grove and Kaleb from Ashmont.
And some belated birthday shoutouts to…. Mac from Caulfield North, Royce from Gordon, Nathan from Narwee, Luka from Brisbane, Jimmy and Elto from Mackay and Matilda from North Avoca.
Happy birthday to you all.
Today’s classroom shoutouts… class 5NW at North Sydney Demonstration School, class 5/6 Frill Necked Lizards at Darlington Public School, Year 5 at Mother of Good Counsel in Cairns, and 4 Green at St Aloysius Catholic College in Tassie. And a very special shoutout to Year ⅚ from Cannon Hill State School, with their teacher Mr Heilbronn who is celebrating a birthday today.
The S’Quiz Answers:
- South Australia
- Queensland
- Tiger