Your afternoon Briefing: Union integrity bill passes; Crown hits back at ‘deceitful’ campaign

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

Hello readers. Proposed laws making it easier to disqualify union officials and deregister unions have passed the Lower House, and the Crown Resorts board has signed an open letter “setting the record straight” on “inflammatory stories”.

Attorney-General Christian Porter during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Wednesday, July 31, 2019. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) NO ARCHIVING

Union integrity bill passes

Proposed laws making it easier to disqualify union officials and deregister unions have passed the Lower House.

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 31: The outside of Crown Casio on July 31, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. The Morrison government has referred a series of allegations about Crown and corruption in government agencies to the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Crown hits back at deceitful campaign

The powerful Crown Resorts board has signed an open letter “setting the record straight” on “inflammatory stories”.

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Treasurer Josh Frydenberg during Question Time in the House of Representatives Chamber, at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture Kym Smith

Climate warriors seek Frydenberg poll re-run

A pair who know each other via shared global warming interests take the Treasurer to High Court.

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A police officer (C) points a firearm during clashes with protesters who had gathered outside Kwai Chung police station, in support of protesters detained with the charge of rioting, in Hong Kong on July 30, 2019. (Photo by ISAAC LAWRENCE / AFP)

Will Xi be the hangman of Hong Kong

If the Chinese president uses force in Hong Kong he will face criticism abroad, but there could be domestic trouble if he allows protests to continue.

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