Your morning Briefing

Welcome to your morning digest of the top stories of the day.

Hello readers and welcome to your two-minute digest of what’s making news today.

ACTU Secretary Sally McManus addressing the National Press Club in Canberra. Picture Kym Smith

Big Australia

Big business has joined forces with the ACTU in an unprecedented compact to back a Big Australia, calling on the federal government to maintain current levels of permanent migration amid calls for the rate to be cut. The historic coalition of peak unions, employer groups and the ethnic lobby will release a united policy document today warning of the economic and social consequences of dropping the annual migration rate.

“This historic national compact brings together civil society, business and our union movement in shared tripartite commitment to migration as part of Australia’s future.”

National Compact on Permanent Migration

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Kerry Schott, Australian executive, former NSW public servant, former head of Sydney Water, who has been awarded an AO in the Queen's Birthday honours. Pic - Britta Campion

‘Renewables rule’

The architect of Malcolm Turnbull’s signature energy blueprint says there is no longer an investment case to build new coal-fired power stations in Australia ­because “the cost of coal is always going to be more than the cost of wind and sun”. The comments by Energy ­Security Board chairwoman Kerry Schott sparked a furious response from the Coalition’s pro-coal ­Monash Forum, but were backed by Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg, who said new coal stations faced “an uncertain utilisation rate and return on capital”.

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Stormy Daniels and Donald Trump.

Trump comes clean

Donald Trump last night admitted reimbursing his lawyer Michael Cohen for the $US130,000 ($173,000) he paid for the ­silence of porn star Stormy Daniels, contradicting earlier claims he knew nothing or little about the payments. The US President said the ­reimbursement was done through a monthly retainer and “had nothing to do with the campaign”.

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03/05/2018: Ryan Stokes, at Macquarie bank's annual banking conference in Sydney on Thursday, speaking about the ACCC digital platforms inquiry. Hollie Adams/The Australian

Tech bullies

Technology giants have been ­accused of breaching competition practices and abusing their ­dominant position to push out ­rivals, in an array of complaints from companies, unions and ­industry bodies. Publication yesterday of 57 submissions to a world-first ­inquiry into the digital media market by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission revealed a long list of allegations against Facebook, Google, Amazon, Netflix and Apple.

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Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle arrives to the Australian Olympic Committee Annual General Meeting in Sydney, Saturday, April 28, 2018. (AAP Image/Daniel Munoz) NO ARCHIVING

Rugger buggered?

Do you even get rugby, Raelene? That’s just one of the hard questions former Wallabies coach and vitriolic radio host Alan Jones has for new Australian rugby boss Raelene Castle.

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Kudelka’s view

Jon Kudelka Letters Cartoon for 04-05-2018Version: Letters Cartoon (1280x720 - Aspect ratio preserved, Canvas added)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.