Your Briefing: Machinery rolls into Adani’s Carmichael coalmine

Hello readers. Adani gets things moving at the nation’s most hotly contested coalmine and Sydney experiences worst hailstorm in 20 years.

Hello readers. After eight years of politically charged protest, Adani gets things moving at Carmichael coalmine and Sydney experiences the worst hailstorm in 20 years.

20 December 2018 Labona Camp, Queensland - The first heavy equipment arrives at Adani's Labona Camp in central western Queensland to commence construction on Carmichael Mine - Photo: Cameron Laird

Adani tries to kick off Carmichael

Heavy earth-breaking machinery has finally arrived at the site of the nation’s most hotly contested open-cut coalmine.

-

Sydney has been hit hard by hail. Picture: Supplied

Storm declared ‘catastrophic’

At least 50,000 homes remain without power in Sydney and over 1000 calls for help are waiting to be responded to after the worst hailstorms in 20 years.

-

President Donald Trump speaks during a signing ceremony for H.R. 2, the "Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018," in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, on the White House complex, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Now US may exit Afghanistan

US Defence Secretary James Mattis has resigned after Donald Trump ignored his advice to keep US troops in Syria. As Greg Sheridan writes: Donald Trump keeps outraging people by doing exactly what he promised he would do.

-

Paul Oosting from Get up appearing at a Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, an Inquiry into and report on all aspects of the conduct of the 2016 Federal Election and matters related thereto, at Parliament House in Canberra.

$500k climate donation to GetUp

GetUp has ­received a $500,000 donation that will be used to help make climate change a hot-button issue in the election.

-

New VFF president Andrew Broad at his Marong farm.

Broad embraces ‘second chance’

Disgraced Nationals MP Andrew Broad says his ­resignation will give him a second chance at being a father and husband.