Your morning Briefing

Welcome to your morning roundup of what’s making news and the must-reads for today.

Good morning readers. Here is your two-minute digest of what’s making news today.

Westfield Corporation co-chief executive Steven Lowy (right) looks on as Westfield Corporation chairman Frank Lowy speaks to the media during a press conference in Sydney, Tuesday, December 12, 2017. Frank Lowy's Westfield Corporation has agreed to a takeover from European property giant Unibail-Rodamco in a deal worth $US25 billion. (AAP Image/Ben Rushton) NO ARCHIVING

Sir Frank’s $33bn bonanza

International property tycoon Frank Lowy has agreed to sell his business empire to ­European shopping centre giant ­Unibail-Rodamco for almost $33 billion in Australia’s biggest takeover, raising doubts over the future of the bricks-and-mortar mall. The 87-year-old will sell the Westfield international shopping centre empire that spans Britain and the US, with his remaining interest in his Australian malls to be left untouched. The move comes as the retail sector is battered by internet shopping and the decline of department stores. Sir Frank, who was knighted by the Queen last Friday, will hand the reins of his 35 international shopping centres to the Paris-based group, which will use the name he first used when developing centres in western Sydney.

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12/12/17: Sam Dastyari resigns from parliament at a press conference in Sydney over allegations of links with links with China billionaire Huang Xiangmo.John Feder/Tjhe Australian.

Dasher splits, Shorten faces rift

Bill Shorten has stoked tensions with Labor’s powerful NSW right faction after urging Sam Dastyari over the past few days to quit. Andrew Clennell has the Inside Story on the rise and fall of Dasher, as a political career that started at age 30 comes to an untimely conclusion at age 34. Margin Call, meantime, reveals that former NSW treasurer Eric Roozendaal has left billionaire Huang Xiangmo’s Yuhu Group Australia, the property empire that has become the centre of a national security and donations scandal that has engulfed Bill Shorten’s Labor Party and claimed the scalp of ­Dastyari.

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A rally calling for a ban on Shark nets on Bondi Beach on the 17/9/17. Protesters are calling of a ban of Shark culling and nets. (AAP IMAGE/ Danny Aarons)

Shark net furore

A Senate inquiry led by Peter Whish-Wilson of the Greens into shark mitigation strategies has recommended the removal of nets and drumlines from all NSW and Queensland beaches and replacing them with “smart” drumlines that are designed to enable a rescue crew to save and tag caught sharks. Nets and traditional drumlines have been used in Queensland for more than 50 years. In that time, there has been only one fatality at a protected beach in that state. In NSW, nets are used between September and April in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, dating back to the 1930s, also with only one fatality at a protected beach.

“One of our great assets is our beaches and the ability to go swimming. That’s being eroded by the actions of a minority more interested in the safety of some animals than in human lives.”

LNP senator Ian Macdonald

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Frank Lowy made his farewell speech at Westfields AGM in Sydey's Town Hall. Picture: Dylan Robinson

End of line for Lowy family business

Westfield shareholders have become used to the restless dealmaking urge that drives Sir Frank Lowy. It was only three years ago that they were voting on the latest in a long line of restructurings of the group that led to the creation of this Westfield. For those who have struggled to keep up with the changes, Westfield co-chief executive Peter Lowy put in stark terms the outcome of all those deals — $1000 invested at the company’s inception would today be worth $440 million.

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Australian boxer Jeff Horn rehydrates following the pre-fight weigh-in at the Brisbane Convention Centre in Brisbane on December 12, 2017, the eve of the World Boxing Organisation welterweight title bout against Gary Corcoran. English challenger Gary Corcoran has claimed Australian World Boxing Organisation welterweight champion Jeff Horn is a "dirty" fighter ahead of their title bout in Brisbane on December 13. / AFP PHOTO / Patrick HAMILTON / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE --

Horn’s health ‘at risk’

Jeff Horn stripped down to his underwear, stepped on the scales and snuck under the welterweight limit with a meagre 16 grams to spare. Frank Greaves, the trainer of challenger Gary Corcoran, watched on intently and wasted no time stoking an already raging fire as he suggested Horn’s camp could be endangering his health with the sort of dramatic weight drop that had the champion reaching for an energy drink only moments after he stepped off the scales having dropped 3kg in half a day. Keep up with all the action when Horn steps into the ring tonight in our live blog of the fight.

“He looked dry, he looked very dry in the face.”

Gary Corcoran trainer Frank Greaves

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England's Alastair Cook batting in the nets during a training session for the English Cricket tea at the WACA ahead of the 3rd Ashes Test match in Perth, Tuesday, December 12, 2017. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY, IMAGES TO BE USED FOR NEWS REPORTING PURPOSES ONLY, NO COMMERCIAL USE WHATSOEVER, NO USE IN BOOKS WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT FROM AAP

Glass half full for Cook

As the crucial third Test in Perth looms, former England captain Alastair Cook says the footage of Ben Stokes in an ugly street brawl has changed the world for the team. There was Jonathan Bairstow’s apparently friendly “headbutt” of Cameron Bancroft on the first night of the tour in Perth led to a midnight curfew. That was lifted for one night when the squad arrived back in Perth on the weekend and within hours, Ben Duckett had poured a drink over James Anderson. But Cook says it is unfair to suggest there is a problem with a drinking culture in the team, writes Peter Lalor.

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Kudelka’s view

Jon Kudelka Letters Page Cartoon for 13-12-2017Version: (650x366)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.