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.

The Leader of the Federal Opposition, Bill Shorten is in Melbourne today at Preston South Primary School. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Flaw exposed

Bill Shorten’s claim that self-managed super funds are collecting $2.5 million in annual cash payments from refundable franking credits has been exposed as applying to only a “handful” of Australian retirees, with the sector warning that Labor has “grossly overestimated” the $59 billion revenue take from its tax crackdown. As Malcolm Turnbull prepares to ramp up his attack on Mr Shorten’s “retiree tax”, the Self-Managed Super Fund Association yesterday labelled Labor’s assertions that Australians were receiving refunds of up to $2.5m each year as misleading.

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Greens Leader Dr Richard Di Natale at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra.

Ugly Greens

The Greens are an ugly sight under pressure, writes Paul Kelly. This is a party deluded by hubris, confused about its strategy, consumed by a moral vanity that wearies most people, and it has now been taught a crucial lesson about the power of the Labor Party as a progressive force. Batman may yet become a turning point. It shows Victorian Labor able to repeat the performance of NSW Labor in the inner city and deny the surge of the Greens.

“The party lectures people about how they must live and is intolerant of others who don’t embrace its ideology. These are not traits that appeal to the Australian character.”

Paul Kelly

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US police officer Mohamed Noor has been charged with murder over the shooting dead of Australian woman Justine Damond Ruszczyk in Minneapolis last July.

Noor charged

US police officer Mohamed Noor has been charged with murder over the shooting dead of Australian woman Justine Damond Ruszczyk in Minneapolis last July. The 31-year-Noor turned himself into the Hennepin County jail earlier today after a warrant was issued for his arrest on charges of third degree murder and second degree manslaughter.

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Images of residential properties in Sydney, Tuesday, March 21, 2017. Property prices in the eight capitals shot up 4.1 per cent in the December quarter, official ABS data revealed, pushing the median valuation past $650,000 for the first time. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins) NO ARCHIVING

‘Brace for pain’

Homeowners should brace for “painful” consequences, including falling property prices, as interest rates rise from historically low levels, Peter Costello warned yesterday, as Queensland home lender Suncorp kicked off what could be a sharp rise in borrowing costs.

“It’s going to be slow and it could be painful, and the question is will it be a hard landing or a soft landing, but it’s going to be a landing.”

Peter Costello

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South Africa's bowler Kagiso Rabada, second right, with teammate celebrates after dismissing Australia's batsman Shaun Marsh, for 24 runs on the first day of the second cricket test match between South Africa and Australia at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Friday, March 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Michael Sheehan)

Rabada cleared

Star South African paceman Kagiso Rabada has been cleared to play the rest of the series against Australia. It is great news for the 22-year-old and his side, who levelled the series on the back of the quick’s 11-150 at Port Elizabeth last week. But it will disappoint umpires and match referees who have been undermined by the ICC appeals process.

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Kudelka’s view

Jon Kudelka's wry take on affairs of state.