Your morning Briefing: Shorten unveils tax and spend ‘cure’

Your 2-minute digest of today’s top stories and must-reads.

Hello readers. Bill Shorten unveils his tax and spend ‘cure’ and Alan Jones meets Raelene Castle to talk rugby.

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Tax and spend

Bill Shorten will claim the most significant reforms to Medicare since it was created by Bob Hawke in 1984, with a $2.3 billion expansion of bulk billing to cut out-of-pocket expenses and provide free services for cancer patients. Outlining a big-spending ­agenda, the Opposition Leader also promised to restore $1bn in TAFE funding to meet critical skills shortages while revealing he would match the Coalition’s tax cuts for 10 million people and ­provide bigger tax refunds for a further 3.6 million workers earning less than $48,000 a year.

Mr Shorten has struck back against the Coalition’s budget in a big, bold and traditional Labor fashion, writes Dennis Shanahan, while Margin Call suggests the Morrison government will be terrified by the crowd Bill Shorten pulled at his budget reply function. Meanwhile, all eyes are on Yarralumla today to see if Scott Morrison calls the election. Keep up with the latest in our live blog, PoliticsNow.

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Melbourne woman Kirsty Rosse-Emile before she left Australia for Syria.

‘Rescue our daughter’

The parents of a pregnant Melbourne mother who fled ISIS in Syria beg for her return.

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FILE - In this March 4, 2018 file photo, Jeff Bezos and wife MacKenzie Bezos arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills, Calif. Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie, announced Thursday, April 4, 2019, in a series of tweets that they have finalized their divorce, ending a 25-year marriage that played a role in the creation of the online shopping giant. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

Record divorce

MacKenzie Bezos will become the world’s fourth richest woman with a $36bn divorce settlement.

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Minister for Defence Christopher Pyne hugs Shadow Minister for Defence Richard Marles after making his valedictory speech in the House of Representatives at Parliament House, in Canberra, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) NO ARCHIVING

Pyne’s adieu

Defence Minister Christopher Pyne has bowed out of federal politics with a valedictory speech for the ages. “To the chagrin of a few and the joy of many — maybe even some in this place — I am retiring from parliament,” the member for Sturt declared yesterday afternoon.

“I’ve had a fortunate life. I do not have a log cabin story like so many people in this place, although­ I once did have to get my own lemon for a gin and tonic.”

Christopher Pyne

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Alan Jones and the rugby boss.

My meeting with Raelene

Alan Jones met with the rugby boss this week. He writes that it was a courteous meeting. Here’s what happened.

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Kudelka’s view

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