Your morning Briefing: Teacher’s Pet - student lover turns witness

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Hello readers. Chris Dawson’s one-time teen lover turns witness, and get set for test cricket action live from Adelaide later this morning.

Joanne Curtis then and now, will be a key witness at Chris Dawson's trial

Student lover turns witness

Former Newtown Jets rugby league player and teacher Chris Dawson’s one-time teenage lover and another ex-student who kept a diary about her schooldays on Sydney’s northern beaches will be key witnesses in his murder trial. Joanne Curtis, who moved into Mr Dawson’s home just two days after Lyn vanished, has been ­quietly co-operating with homicide detectives reinvestigating the case — with police now holding the theory Lyn was murdered at her home and buried in bushland.

New witnesses uncovered in The Australian’s investigative podcast series, The Teacher’s Pet, have formed part of the case against Mr Dawson, who is accused of killing his wife in January 1982 after courting Ms Curtis when she was his high school student. Hedley Thomas, who spearheaded the investigation and helmed the podcast, writes that Lyn Dawson’s steadfast friends and family are finally at the start of a road they have been trying to reach for decades.

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(L-R) US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, former US President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, former US President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and former US President Jimmy Carter listen as former Sen. Alan Simpson, R-WY., speaks during a State Funeral Funeral former US President George H.W. Bush, at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC on December 5, 2018. (Photo by Alex Brandon / POOL / AFP)

‘Great, noble man’

A tearful George W. Bush pays homage to his father George H.W Bush, describing him as a great president and father.

24/06/2018. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and MP and Member for Reid Craig Laundy address media after meeting young family Leena Mathew with her 9 month old daughter Lyla Duffy and her partner Eoghan Duffy. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and MP and Member for Reid, Craig Laundy talk with a family who live in Drummoyne in the electorate of Reid, in light of the GovernmentÕs income tax relief plan. Britta Campion / The Australian

Shhhh, Mal

Malcolm Turnbull’s closest confidant in parliament, Craig Laundy, has urged the former PM to stay out of the spotlight. Follow all the latest from parliament in our live blog, PoliticsNow.

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ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 05: Virat Kohli of India and Tim Paine of Australia shake hands ahead of the Test series between Australia and India at Adelaide Oval on December 05, 2018 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Battle of underdogs

This summer’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy starts with a novel feel as a contest that seems to involve two underdogs, writes Gideon Haigh. Peter Lalor, meantime, suggests that by dropping Mitchell Marsh from today’s Test side Australia have shored up their batting but placed pressure on a reduced bowling unit to come up with the 20 Indian wickets needed to win a match. Therefore, Nathan Lyon becomes critical. Follow all the action from Adelaide in our live Test Match blog from 11am AEST.

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Kudelka’s view

Jon Kudelka Letters Cartoon for 06-12-2018Version: 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.