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.

13/07/2017: Former prime minister John Howard before speaking on US President Donald Trump in Sydney, hosted by the United States Studies Centre.Pic by James Croucher

Mega-union warning

John Howard has urged the ­Turnbull government to revive plans to subject union mergers to a public interest test, expressing concern that the merger of the militant construction and maritime unions represented “ultra-concentration of union power”. The former prime minister’s concern was shared by former Patrick chief Chris Corrigan, who said the CFMEU had a record of being “fairly lawless”.

“Just like we don’t like an ultra-­­con­centration of commercial power, why should we feel ­comfortable about an ultra-­concentration of union power, particularly given the track record of the two ­unions.”

John Howard

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Snowy Hydro CEO Paul Broad at the press conference in front of Tumut No 3 power station.Federal government to announces increase in snowy hydro scheme.Photograph taken at Tumut number 3 hydro power station by Andrew Taylor on the 16th March 2017

Cold on coal

Snowy Hydro boss Paul Broad has warned ministers not to bow to the Monash Forum and build a new coal-fired power station. AGL continues to defy pressure from the PM to sell its Liddell power plant as the competition watchdog blasts the energy giant.

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2017 Boxing Day Cricket Test - Australia V England - Day One. David Warner celebrates his 100. Picture: Mark Stewart

Toyota loses feeling

The wheels are continuing to fall off the $6 million-a-year David Warner money-making express, with Toyota the latest inter­national corporate giant to reveal it is withdrawing a personal sponsorship.

“Based on David’s suspension and in light of recent events, we can confirm that we have ended our partnership with David Warner.”

Toyota spokeswoman

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Former Prime Minister Paul Keating gestures as he speaks during a roundtable discussion during the Banking & Wealth Summit 2018 in Sydney, Thursday, April 5, 2018. (AAP Image/David Moir) NO ARCHIVING

Lending boom ending

The “salad days” for lending were ending, with banks facing tighter regulatory controls and the housing boom over, former prime minister Paul Keating warned at a conference in Sydney yesterday. Mr Keating said the banks were facing tighter controls as a result of the Basel rules on capital adequacy, while financial regulators had had a “gutful” of them. This was likely to lead to changes that would restrict the banks’ ability to lend.

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GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 05: The Australia Women's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay Final team celebrate victory and a new world record on day one of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games at Optus Aquatic Centre on April 5, 2018 on the Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Gold rush

A revitalised Cate Campbell led the Australian women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team to a world record and gold medal last night., while our fast and fearless track cyclists sparked wild celebrations inside the Anna Meares Velodrome after beating the old foes, England and New Zealand. Keep up with all the action from the Gold Coast in our live Commonwealth Games blog.

Australia's Kaarle Mcculloch (L) and teammate Stephanie Morton compete to win gold in the women's team sprint finals track cycling event during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Anna Meares Velodrome in Brisbane on April 5, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Patrick HAMILTON

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Kudelka’s view

Jon Kudelka Letters page cartoon for 06-04-2018. Version: 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.