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 and a long read for later.

Matthew Guy leader of the opposition arrives at state Parliament. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Ganging up

The Victorian Coalition has held talks with Malcolm Turnbull and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton about a “united ­approach” to tackling the gang crime wave, which Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said must be fixed through mandatory sentencing and deporting foreigners who commit violent crimes. In a move that signals the start of an election campaign with law and order at its centre, Mr Guy yesterday urged Premier Daniel Andrews to return to work early to address the street gang violence that is unfolding in Melbourne.

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Former Google software engineer James Damore

Google this

James Damore, the former Google engineer who was fired for writing a memo suggesting men were better suited than women for certain tech jobs, is suing the company for allegedly discriminating against white, conservative men. Mr Damore and another former Google engineer, David Gudeman, filed a lawsuit overnight (AEDT), which seeks class-action status, in superior court in California’s Santa Clara County. Google, a unit of Alphabet, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

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The former home of Alan Bond in Dalkeith has been sold for a reported 39million

Boom and Bond

Housing demand is sending prices skyrocketing in cities’ outer suburbs, posing new obstacles to affordability. Meanwhile, a lavish Perth mansion formerly owned by Alan Bond has hit the market with price expectations north of $50m.

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NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 05: Apartement buildings stand in the snow on January 5, 2018 in New York City. Under frigid temperatures, New York City dug out from the "Bomb Cyclone." John Moore/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

Global cooling

Record cold in America has brought temperatures as low as minus 44C in North Dakota, frozen sharks in Massachusetts and iguanas falling from trees in Florida. Al Gore blames global warming, citing one scientist to the effect that this is “exactly what we should expect from the climate crisis”. Others beg to differ: Kevin Trenberth, of America’s National Centre for Atmospheric Research, insists that “winter storms are a manifestation of winter, not climate change”. Forty-five years ago a run of cold winters caused a “global cooling” scare. Sydney, meanwhile, was hit with more than 4600 lightning strikes between 3am and 6am this morning, leaving thousands without power.

“A global deterioration of the climate, by order of magnitude larger than any hitherto experienced by civilised mankind, is a very real possibility and indeed may be due very soon.”

Scientists’ 1972 letter to President Nixon

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LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 07: Nicole Kidman, Zoe Kravitz, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern and Shailene Woodley of 'Big Little Lies' attend HBO's Official Golden Globe Awards After Party at Circa 55 Restaurant on January 7, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)

Me Too!

Never mind the movies: the theatricality and demand for applause at the Golden Globe awards in Los Angeles at the weekend took place on the red carpet. Actors wore black outfits to signal their solidarity with victims of the sexual harassment scandals that have consumed Hollywood. It’s hard to recall a more egregious display of vanity signalling than the black dress protest, writes Melanie Phillips.

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Albert NamatjiraMount Sonder, West MacDonnell Ranges, Central Australiac. 1945painting in watercolour over faint underdrawing in black pencil27.10 x 38.20 cmGift of Marilyn Darling AC in memory of Gordon Darling ACCMG 2016. Donated through the Australian Government'sCultural Gifts Program.© Namatjira Legacy Trust Image supplied by NGA Single use for REVIEW; not to be cropped, overprinted, altered; must credit

The long read (Best of 2017): Namatjira’s legacy

For Gloria Pannka, painter and granddaughter of Albert Namatjira, it was a stunning and historic breakthrough that followed a “long and hard struggle’’ for control of the Aboriginal art pioneer’s legacy. “We’re happy we finally got it back. The whole family’s really happy and proud,’’ Pannka said after a copyright deal was struck in October. The deal — expedited by entrepreneur Dick Smith and described as “incredible’’ and righting “a ­terrible and emblematic wrong’’ — shifts control of Namatjira’s works to his impoverished ­descendants for the first time.

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Comment of the day

“What we need to think about is the next ice epoch, low CO2 levels. They keys to our survival (are) abundant cheap energy and technology.”

John, in response to ‘Global cooling a reality but technology will help earth survive’.

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Clement’s view

Rod Clement Letters Cartoon for 09-1-18Version: (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.