Your morning Briefing: Schools row ends with $4.5bn deal

Welcome to your 2-minute briefing on the day’s top stories and must-reads.

Hello readers. Here is your 2-minute digest of what’s making news today.

20/09/2018: Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced billions of dollars in extra funding for independent and Catholic schools. (L-R) Lisa Maletta with her children Olivia, 8 and Sebastian, 6. at St Fiacre's Catholic Primary School in Leichhardt. Hollie Adams/The Australian

$4.5bn schools deal

Scott Morrison has declared an end to the school funding war between the government and the Catholic education lobby, offering an extra $4.3 billion in funding ­increases for the sector over the next decade to avert the threat of 350 schools closing across the country. A similar detente has been reached with independent schools, which will receive an extra $259 million under a total appeasement package for the non-government school sector of more than $4.5bn.

Scott Morrison is proving to be a fast-moving target and the new regime appears more adept at political tactics, writes Dennis Shanahan.

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On Tuesday 18th September 2018 the ABC news' Andrew Probyn put to air a lead story claiming that Kerry Stokes and Rupert Murdoch conspired to remove Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister. The report used graphics that falsely represented the media bosses texting each other. 18/09/2018

Senate heat

The ABC’s disputed report claiming media proprietors Rupert Murdoch and Kerry Stokes conspired to trigger the demise of former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull could be headed for scrutiny by federal parliament’s Senate estimates committee. A member of the committee said yesterday he would consider quizzing the ABC about the story, which was strongly rejected by Mr Stokes, the Seven West Media chairman.

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The NSW branch of the Liberal party is in the grip of factional brawls ahead of state and federal polls

Libs’ fractious heartland

From kerfuffles over Gilmore, Wentworth and Warringah to the battle for the prime ministership, the factional fight within the NSW Liberals is an unholy mess, writes Andrew Clennell.

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21/07/2017: Former NSW Premier Mike Baird at NAB in Sydney. He is working at NAB as head of institutional banking.Pic by James Croucher

Good to be Baird

Mike Baird is looking relaxed. And why not? At 50, he earns $2m a year at NAB and his pressure-cooker days as NSW’s 44th premier are behind him. Don’t miss Andrew Clennell’s exclusive interview in The Deal.

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Arrival at Cid Harbour shark attack

Second shark attack

A 12-year-old Victorian girl who was mauled by a shark in the Whitsundays owes her life to a holidaying veterinarian. It’s the second attack in the area in days, with a rogue shark suspected.

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Wallabies player Nick Phipps (centre) reacts following the Rugby Championship match between Australia and Argentina at Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast, Saturday, September 15, 2018. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

Rock bottom

Post Argentina, it is hard to know where to turn in relation to the Wallabies, writes Alan Jones. I don’t want to add to the team’s misery, but we have hit rock bottom. Seventh in the world.

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Kudelka’s view

Jon Kudelka Letters Cartoon for 21-09-18Version: Letters Cartoon (1280x720 - Aspect ratio preserved, Canvas added)COPYRIGHT: The Australian's artists each have different copyright agreements in place regarding re-use of their work in other publications.Please seek advice from the artists themselves or the Managing Editor of The Australian regarding re-use.