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.

25/04/2018: Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison at the NRL Dragons v Roosters game in Sydney.Pic by James Croucher

Levy hike ditched

Scott Morrison has dumped plans for a 0.5 per cent hike in the Medicare Levy from next year, leaving Bill Shorten wedged 12 days before budget night.

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Race Discrimination Commissioner Dr Tim Soutphommasane appearing at a senate hearing into the Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture Kym Smith

Race to find commissioner

The government will today begin the process of recruiting a replacement for the Race Discrimination Commissioner, Tim Soutphommasane and this time they are looking for “someone with an understanding and empathy not merely for minority groups but for middle Australian values”.

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Mohammed Noor and Justine Damond.

‘Self-defence’

The US policeman who shot dead Australian Justine Damond Ruszczyk will plead not guilty, arguing that he killed her in self-defence. Court documents filed today say that former Minneapolis policeman Mohamed Noor will use the arguments of self-defence and reasonable force to defend himself against charge of third degree murder and second degree manslaughter. He faces up to 25 years jail if convicted.

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11/5/17: AMP Ceo Craig Meller and chairman Catherine Brenner at the AMP annual meeting at Sydney Town Hall. John Feder/The Australian

Eastern promise

Billionaire Gretel Packer, chairman of everything David Gonski, One.Tel founder Jodee Rich: there’s a glittering Sydney eastern suburbs cast in the orbit of besieged AMP chairman Catherine Brenner. But will the powerful entourage advising Brenner be able to elongate her chairmanship of imperilled AMP?

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ATP TOUR LOGO

Tennis fixing ‘tsunami’

An independent probe into match-fixing has found there is a serious corruption problem in the lower tiers of professional tennis, with one investigator ­describing it as a “tsunami”. But the long-running investigation into alleged criminal ­behaviour in the sport found that although authorities had made mistakes or taken missteps, there was no evidence to suggest this constituted a cover-up.

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Kudelka’s view

Jon Kudelka Letters Page Cartoon for 26-04-2018Version: 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.