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Your morning Briefing

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

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

A picture taken on February 6, 2018 shows a visual representation of the digital crypto-currency Bitcoin, at the "Bitcoin Change" shop in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv. / AFP PHOTO / JACK GUEZ
A picture taken on February 6, 2018 shows a visual representation of the digital crypto-currency Bitcoin, at the "Bitcoin Change" shop in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv. / AFP PHOTO / JACK GUEZ

Bitcoin tax blitz

Tax-dodging Bitcoin investors will be confronted by the full ­investigative powers of the tax ­office, which has revealed it will use anti-money laundering legislation due to come into force next month as the basis for a long-awaited blitz on cryptocurrencies. Under the legislation, the ATO will use compulsory 100-point identification checks for Bitcoin investors as part of its new arsenal, giving it the ability to roll out its data-matching techniques to take on the previously opaque cryptocurrency world.

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Australian Border Force Commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg, making a short statement regarding Operation Fortitude, at Parliament House in Canberra.
Australian Border Force Commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg, making a short statement regarding Operation Fortitude, at Parliament House in Canberra.

Roman umpire

Border Force Commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg sent ­“salacious” text messages to a woman applying for a job with his department and they were later accessed by the agency called in to investigate his conduct, it was revealed last night. Attorney-General Christian Porter has vowed to end the nine-month investigation into Mr Quaedvlieg “within weeks’’, as the cost borne by the taxpayer climbs into the millions.

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Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce leaves after Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Tuesday, February 27, 2018. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) NO ARCHIVING
Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce leaves after Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Tuesday, February 27, 2018. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) NO ARCHIVING

‘Blame Barnaby’

The former federal director of the Nationals, Scott Mitchell, has blamed Barnaby Joyce for having divided the party through his own ambition, leaving it riddled by personality-driven factionalism for the first time in its 98-year history. His comments came as senior party sources last night said the coalition agreement had been finalised and signed on Monday following Michael McCormack’s elevation to the party leadership. Stay abreast of all the developments from parliament in our live blog, PoliticsNow.

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Illustration by Eric Lobbecke
Illustration by Eric Lobbecke

Creating Corbyn

Jeremy Corbyn’s rise is the flip side of Donald Trump storming the White House after Democrats helped create the Trump phenomenon, writes Janet Albrechtsen. When professional politicians, both Democrat and Republican, ignored, underestimated and mocked Trump as a political threat, the same politicians signalled they were also ignoring, and in some cases mocking, the concerns of Trump supporters. It’s the same with Corbyn. The Tories paid little attention to the obscure, irrelevant old socialist who sat quietly on Westminster’s backbench for more than 30 years, except to laugh at him as potential Labour leader. No one is laughing now.

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Rod Clement Margin Call Cartoon for 28-02-2018Version: Business Cartoon  (Original)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.
Rod Clement Margin Call Cartoon for 28-02-2018Version: Business Cartoon (Original)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.

Speculating on ‘Mr Real Estate’

Speculation is swirling again about “Mr Real Estate” John McGrath’s account with Tom Waterhouse’s gambling outfit William Hill, writes Margin Call. That’s the betting account ­reportedly $16.2 million in debt — a sum approaching 10 per cent of the mooted $200m price tag on William Hill’s up-for-sale ­Australian operations. Thanks to the sales process for William Hill — which could be completed in days — the 54-year-old real estate agent’s ­enthusiasm for punting is once again the talk of the industry.

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27/02/2018: Australian Tennis great, Todd Woodbridge. Stuart McEvoy for The Australian.
27/02/2018: Australian Tennis great, Todd Woodbridge. Stuart McEvoy for The Australian.

Davis Cup dismay

For almost a quarter of a century, Neale Fraser was Australia’s captain and conscience, guiding our best tennis players on a perennial quest for one of the world’s great sporting trophies, the Davis Cup. After learning of radical plans by sport’s international governing body to scrap the competition’s traditional format and replace it with a seven-day tournament, the 84-year-old spat out his dismay.

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Kudelka’s view

Jon Kudelka Letters Page Cartoon for 28-02-2018Version: Letters Cartoon  (1280x720 - Stretched to Fit)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.
Jon Kudelka Letters Page Cartoon for 28-02-2018Version: Letters Cartoon (1280x720 - Stretched to Fit)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.
Jason Gagliardi

Jason Gagliardi is the engagement editor and a columnist at The Australian, who got his start at The Courier-Mail in Brisbane. He was based for 25 years in Hong Kong and Bangkok. His work has been featured in publications including Time, the Sunday Telegraph Magazine (UK), Colors, Playboy, Sports Illustrated, Harpers Bazaar and Roads & Kingdoms, and his travel writing won Best Asean Travel Article twice at the ASEANTA Awards.

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/briefing/your-morning-briefing/news-story/2959f0fe7a80c68c3084d02f1d1a5a91