Your afternoon Briefing: Militants gang up to abuse union whistleblower

Your 2-minute digest of the day’s top stories.

Good afternoon, readers. Here’s what made news this Tuesday. An ousted union boss has been abused by militant CMFEU backers since going public with his story and Chris Kenny says sensible climate discussion in Australia is now extinct.

CFMEU.Former SA secretary of the CFMEU Aaron Cartledge who was ousted from his job by the militant John Setka.Wednesday 1st August. 2019. Photo Roy VanDerVegt

Militants gang up to abuse union whistleblower

The ousted union boss who blew the whistle on the Victorian CFMEU’s takeover of the SA branch has been subjected to sustained personal attacks by the union and its militant backers since going public with his story.

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The public viewing area at the ASX in Sydney.Picture: Richard Dobson

China-US tensions deal ASX $86bn blow

The local market is a sea of red, as the threat of escalating trade tensions pushed the market to its worst loss since October last year.

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Extinction Rebellion protestors are seen blocking the corner of Margaret and William Streets in Brisbane, Tuesday, August 6, 2019. Climate change protestors are planning to shut down Brisbane's CBD. (AAP Image/Darren England). NO ARCHIVING

‘Sensible climate discussion extinct’

You can’t reason with Extinction Rebellion, writes Chris Kenny. “They are not interested in debate, rational arguments, facts or the rule of law because they believe they are beholden to a higher cause.”

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Left In this June 21, 2018, file photo One Nation party senator Pauline Hanson addresses the media at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia. Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison, on Tuesday, March 26, 2019, accused the One Nation party of trying to "sell Australia's gun laws to the highest bidders" by asking the U.S. gun lobby for donations. (AP Photo/Rod McGuirk, File) Right - Prime Minister Scott Morrison was joined by the Member for Banks and Minister for Immigration David Coleman in Hurstville, Sydney, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. The Prime Minister was announcing a $250 million dollar congestion-busting funding boost. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins) NO ARCHIVING

‘Coalition MPs got home without Hanson’

None of the Coalition’s Queensland MPs needed more than 50 per cent of One Nation preferences to win their seat at the May 18 election, analysis by The Australian of newly released Australian Electoral Commission data shows.

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Australia's Nathan Lyon (C) celebrates after taking the wicket of England's Stuart Broad during play on the fifth day of the first Ashes cricket Test match between England and Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham, central England on August 5, 2019. (Photo by Lindsey Parnaby / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. NO ASSOCIATION WITH DIRECT COMPETITOR OF SPONSOR, PARTNER, OR SUPPLIER OF THE ECB

‘Ashes 2019: England’s fortress stormed’

You have to go back to the famous series of 2005 for the last time that an away side did in the Ashes what Australia have done here, writes Mike Atherton.