Your morning Briefing: Warning on Labor energy bill shock

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.

Green alternative energy and environment protection ecology concept - solar battery panels and wind generator turbines against blue sky

Labor energy bill shock

Electricity bills will soar and gas and coal-fired power stations will close if the share of wind and solar generation increases dramat­ically, engineers have warned after analysing the nation’s ­energy supply. The analysis casts doubt on Labor’s claim that a 50 per cent renewable energy target — the centrepiece of the opposition’s climate change policy — would reduce electricity prices.

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31/08/2018: University of Sydney Vice Chancellor Dr Michael Spence.Pic by James Croucher

‘Regressive’ Ramsay

The battle over Sydney Univer­sity’s proposed Western civilisation course has intensified amid criticism from staff that it amounts to a “regressive ideological agenda predicated on the inferiority of non-Western cultural traditions”, ahead of a meeting of “concerned” academics called for tomorrow. On Monday, staff were invited by email to tomorrow’s meeting, which has been called to discuss the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation’s proposed liberal arts-style course — a style of course common in many American universities — focused on “great books” and “masterpieces” of the Western tradition.

“Clearly, what’s of interest to Abbott and Howard is the intellectual legitimation that association with a respectable university like Sydney would bring to their political agenda.”

Nicholas Riemer

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Bob Woodward has written a book on the Trump presidency.

‘We’re in crazytown’

Donald Trump’s lawyer told the president he would end up in an “orange jumpsuit” if he testified to Special Counsel Robert Mueller because he would perjure himself according to an explosive new book. The book, by respected journalist and author Bob Woodward, paints a devastating portrait of a dysfunctional White House where senior officials would hide papers from the president so he didn’t sign them, fearing he could damage the country.

“He’s an idiot. It’s pointless to try to convince him of anything. He’s gone off the rails. We’re in crazytown.”

Trump Chief of Staff John Kelly, as quoted in Bob Woodward’s book

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Rod Clement Margin Call cartoon for 05-09-2018. Version: Business 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.

Phoning it in

AGL’s $5.8m man Andy Vesey is hanging around on the energy company’s books until the end of the year, but the American’s time as Alan Joyce’s Sydney penthouse neighbour is up, Margin Call reveals. It seems whatever work Vesey does for AGL to earn his final few millions will be done over the phone. This week his stunning Sydney residence — with views to make Alan Jones’s place in The Toaster look shabby — was put on the rental market.

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NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 03: John Millman of Australia shows his emotions during the men's singles fourth round match against Roger Federer of Switzerland on Day Eight of the 2018 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 3, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Playing the ball

After stunning the legendary Roger Federer to claim the biggest win of his career in New York yesterday, John Millman believes he is more than capable of unsettling another giant of the sport, Novak Djokovic. The key to his victory was a determination to respect the tennis ball coming at him while disregarding the aura of the legend striking it.

“One of the biggest upsets in tennis history — 29 years of age, toiling for years in the minor leagues of tennis, and he pulls off the upset”.

John McEnroe

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Kudelka’s view

Jon Kudelka Letters Cartoon for 05-09-2018. Version: 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.