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 as we count down to tonight’s budget delivery.

Treasurer Scott Morrison in Cabinet meeting at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture Kym Smith

Baby-boomer budget bonanza

A multi-billion-dollar aged-care and retirees package will be the centrepiece of a government values statement tonight. Dennis Shanahan notes that today’s budget will be the last before the election so get ready for the drums to start beating, while Judith Sloan will be doing the washing up and other more important tasks while the government wallows in its annual marketing opportunity full of over-the-top plans which won’t come to fruition. Keep up with all the latest developments from parliament on the budget and much more besides in our must-read live blog, PoliticsNow.

-

Federal opposition leader Bill Shorten made a surprise visit to the Bayside Seniors Garden Party at Sir Joseph Banks, Botany on the 6th of May, 2018. Bayside Seniors Garden Party at Sir Joseph Banks, Botany (AAP IMAGE/ Danny Aarons)

Caught short

Bill Shorten has been caught out “exaggerating’’ the impact of his dividend imputation crackdown on the wealthy after new costings reveal fewer than five super funds in Australia claimed $2.5m in excess franking credits in 2014-15.

-

Former Prime Minister of Australia Bob Hawke arrives to watch the Hon. Kim Beasley AC, (not pictured) be sworn into office as the new Governor of Western Australia at Government House in Perth, Tuesday, May 1, 2018. (AAP Image/Tony McDonough) NO ARCHIVING

Hawke in hospital

Former prime minister Bob Hawke has been rushed to a Sydney hospital and is undergoing treatment. The Australian understands he has been sick for some time and sources close to Mr Hawke said his illness was being treated seriously. The 88-year-old’s condition was unknown but The Daily Telegraph reported initial suggestions he had suffered a stroke were incorrect.

-

Mario Marcelo Santoro (RIGHT) is a person of interest in the investigation into the murder of Brazilian woman Cecilia Haddad.

Weighted down

The body of murdered businesswoman Cecilia Haddad, which was found floating in the murky waters of Sydney’s Lane Cove River last week, had been weighted down by her killer.

The kayakers who found her body on Sunday, April 29, have told The Australian they found weights stuffed into the pockets of her khaki cargo pants. The ­­38-year-old was wearing a navy and green long-sleeved jumper and silver bracelets on both wrists.

-

Rod Clement Margin Call caroton for 08-05-2018Version: Business Cartoon (Original)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.

Myer’s new King

John King has arrived in the country ahead of the issuing of his working visa from Peter Dutton’s Immigration Department. Margin Call spotted the former House of Fraser chief executive — sporting a tan worthy of his erstwhile base in Florida — at Geoff Culbert’s Sydney Airport yesterday morning with Myer’s cheque-writing executive chairman Garry “Old Fashioned” Hounsell.

-

Fran Karacic playing for his club Lokomotiva Zagreb in Croatia.

Soccer steal

It wasn’t long ago Croatia were stealing our best footballing talents as the lure of a career in Europe playing for the country of their heritage proved too hard to resist, writes Ray Gatt. Young stars such as Josip Simunic, Ante Seric and Joey Didulica, born and raised in Australia and having played their football on various fields around the country, went on to represent Croatia at international level. But now the boot is on the other foot after Socceroos coach Bert van Marwijk selected Fran Karacic in the Socceroos’ 32-man preliminary squad for the World Cup in Russia next month.

-

Clement’s view

Rod Clement Letters cartoon for 08-05-2018.Version: Business 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.