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.

The Opposition Leader Bill Shorten during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture Gary Ramage

Shorten’s factional tap-dance

Bill Shorten is navigating the two biggest factional flare-ups since claiming the Labor leadership ahead of Anthony Albanese as he deals with a grab for power by militant unions in Victoria and growing unease within the NSW Right. Ewin Hannan suggests the Labor leader’s puzzling decision to inject himself in factional powerplays has thrilled opponents and bemused his supporters.

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TOPSHOT - US President Donald Trump takes a drink of water as he speaks about his administration's National Security Strategy at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC, December 18, 2017. President Donald Trump rolled out his first "National Security Strategy", a combative document designed to put meat on the bones of his "America First" sloganeering. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGAN

‘Slash tax like Trump’

Treasury has warned that Australia would suffer a 1 per cent hit to growth if it did not ­respond to the US tax cuts. An updated Treasury briefing to the government this week confirmed there would be a significant recessionary impact on the Australian economy and a potential downgrade to revenues that could put at risk the sustainability of Australia’s tax base and the ability to fund the delivery of essential services. Donald Trump promises his tax cuts will “pour rocket fuel” into the US economy as the House passed the historic reform bill. Scott Morrison writes that with the US on the verge of reducing its corporate tax rate from 35 to 21 per cent, it is timely to reflect on International Monetary Fund analysis painting a clear picture of the adverse effects on the Australian economy, much-needed business investment and wages if we don’t follow the tax reform path.

“The IMF found nations that act would see their tax cuts fuel investment return rates in the short term. This would lead to increased demand for investment capital, draining it from countries such as Australia if Bill Shorten insists we stand by and watch.”

Scott Morrison

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Qld Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen with wife Lady Flo at home, 26 Oct 1986. PicNews/Ltd ex-Brisbane. Pete/Fam f/l

Lady Flo Bjelke-Petersen dies

The curtain fell on a defining era in Queensland politics yesterday with the death of Lady (Flo) Bjelke-Petersen, the former senator and widow of the state’s longest-serving and arguably most controversial premier, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen. Just weeks after declaring her hopes of seeing her late husband’s reputation restored, Lady Flo died in a nursing home in Kingaroy, northwest of Brisbane, aged 97.

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Illustration: Eric Lobbecke

Menzies the appeaser

The great debate over Bob Menzies and wartime prime minister John Curtin rages on, with Curtin biographer John Edwards weighing in to say Menzies clearly believed Japan could crush us and he also supported appeasing Hitler even after Germany’s invasion of Poland had begun.

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DO NOT PUBLISH BEFORE MIDNIGHT DEC 20, 2017 MUST CREDIT BACKGRIDEXCLUSIVE FOR DAILY TELEGRAPHPRINT AND WEB RIGHTS(GROUP AVAILABLE - FEE APPLIES)**AUSTRALIAN, PERTH AND NEWS.COM OUT** AU_1093211 - *PREMIUM-EXCLUSIVE* ** RIGHTS: ONLY AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND ** Aspen, CO - *EXCLUSIVE* - Australian Billionaire James Packer puts his Mariah Carey troubles behind him as he snuggles up to a mystery blonde while vacationing in Aspen. James held hands with his new girl as they hit the town with friends during the day. Perhaps James is trying to throw his new relationship in Mariah's face, as Mariah does have a home in Aspen and is always their for the holidays. Pictured: James Packer BACKGRID Australia 19 DECEMBER 2017 Phone: + 61 2 8719 0598 Email: [e-mail]

Packer’s Aspen inamorata

Twice-married gaming billionaire James Packer has stepped out in the ski resort town of Aspen, Colorado, with his new girlfriend, a Canadian business owner and model called Kylie, a year after splitting with his former fiancee, singing star Mariah Carey, reveals Margin Call. It is believed the new couple — who have been in the US glamour ski resort town over the past week — have been seeing each other for several months.

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Jarryd Hayne, at Fiji training ahead of Friday's rugby league World Cup semi-final against Australia, at East Tigers, Langlands Park, on Tuesday November 21st 2017. AAP Image/Steve Pohlner

Give Hayne a chance

The easy option yesterday was to hang, draw and quarter Jarryd Hayne, writes Brent Read. The most polarising athlete in the NRL has always had a healthy share of detractors and they were quick to take aim amid revelations that the Parramatta star had been accused of rape during his time playing in the NFL with San Francisco. Yet the case of former Manly fullback Brett Stewart provides a cautionary tale for those who are intent on finding Hayne guilty of an allegation which has the potential to end his career.

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Kudelka’s view

Jon Kudelka Letters Page Cartoon for 21-12-17Version: (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.