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.

27-12-17 - Day two of the Sydney to Hobart yachts off the coast of Tasmania. LDV COMANCHE, Sail n: 12358, Bow n: 58, Owner: Jim Cooney, Country: NZL , Division: IRC, Design: Guillaume Verdier & Vplp

Win hinges on protest

LDV Comanche’s protest against provisional Sydney to Hobart race line honours winner Wild Oats XI will be held at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania at 3pm today. If the International Jury rules against Wild Oats XI she will be given a time penalty of not less than five minutes. However it is unlikely that the penalty will be sufficient to rob her of her ninth line honours victory and third race record. As smaller yachts struggled up the Derwent this morning in near windless conditions, five of the monsters in the fleet were tied to their docks after smashing the record set only last year by Perpetual Loyal.

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Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton speaks during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Wednesday, December 6, 2017. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) NO ARCHIVING

Foreign flyers get lift-off

Peter Dutton will allow foreign ­pilots into Australia on two-year work visas in an effort to fix a worsening national shortage that is already grounding planes and forcing flight cancellations. But amid a global scramble to secure pilots, a slump in training and increasing foreign ownership of Australian training schools, Qantas pilots questioned the quality of those likely to be ­recruited to keep ­regional air routes ­operating. “The United States and China are paying huge money and that doesn’t leave much for the sort of wages they are paying in regional Australia,” said Murray Butt, president of the Australian and International Pilots Association, which represents more than 2000 Qantas pilots. Dick Smith weighs in, writing that excessive regulation is weighing heavily on the Australian aviation industry, driving companies to the wall.

“We need to look at the Chinese airlines buying up flight schools in Australia. That might fix their problem but it doesn’t fix ours.”

Murray Butt, Australian and International Pilots Association president

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27 DECEMBER 2017 SYDNEY AUSTRALIAWWW.MATRIXNEWS.COM.AUEXCLUSIVE PICTURESPrime Minister Malcolm Turnbull still has his hand firmly on the helm as he takes a break from politics and spends the day with his family. The boathouse once was the domain of the security personnel before Mrs Turnbull reportedly took it back and the security services where relegated to a Garden shed, pictured with the red roof. Note: All editorial images subject to the following: For editorial use only. Additional clearance required for commercial, wireless, internet or promotional use.Images may not be altered or modified. Matrix makes no representations or warranties regarding names, trademarks or logos appearing in the images.

PM’s staycation

Malcolm Turnbull should enjoy his Christmas dinghy while he can because his security detail will not want the nation’s leader going out on the harbour on New Year’s Eve. The Prime Minister was seen yesterday in casual attire on a dock near his Point Piper mansion before setting sail as Sydney ­experienced clear skies and a top of 24C. The New Year’s Eve forecast for Mr Turnbull’s Sydney neighbourhood is for showers across the day — less than ideal boating conditions for a Prime Minister trying to steady the ship.

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Bratz dolls are seen for sale on the Target Holiday Boat November 29, 2002 in New York City. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Barbie vs Bratz

Like Condoleezza Rice, Ivanka Trump and Michelle Obama, Orly Lobel played with Barbie dolls when she was growing up. “Fortunately,” writes the San Diego law professor in her new book, “I was also encouraged to challenge the distorted realities of Barbie’s world”. No toy has been deconstructed so thoroughly as Mattel’s iconic plastic doll. But Lobel’s You Don’t Own Me is something different. The world that she explores is not a dollhouse but a courthouse, when Mattel and MGA went to war over Barbie and Bratz.

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Illustration: Eric Lobbecke

Some literature for lunch: Never a True Word

As part of literary editor Stephen Romei’s series on the opening pages of the 10 best Australian novels this year, get a taste of veteran journalist Michael McGuire’s debut novel in which narrator, Jack, leaves the nation’s dwindling newsrooms to join the “Dark Side” as a spin doctor.

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TOPSHOT - Australia's Steve Smith drops a catch from England batsman Alastair Cook on the second day of the fourth Ashes cricket Test match at the MCG in Melbourne on December 27, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / WILLIAM WEST / --IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE--

Smith struck down

The hits keep coming for the Aussies with Captain Steve Smith struggling a day after Pat Cummins battled a dodgy tummy while Alistair Cook and Joe Root plundered the best part of a ton and a half between them. Keep up with all the latest from the MGC in our live blog of the fourth Ashes Test.

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Comment of the day

“Where is his flotation vest? When alone in a craft of this size it is mandatory to wear a PFD (personal flotation device).”

Bill, in response to ‘Turnbull steadies ship of state as the year ends in sunshine’.

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Clement’s view

Rod Clement Letters Cartoon for 28-12-17Version: (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.