Your noon Briefing: Dutton says Labor trying to undermine border security

Your noon 2-minute digest of the top stories and must-reads.

Hello readers. Peter Dutton says Labor has no idea on border protection, and what our cities can learn from New York, New York.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton holding a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra.

Labor ‘undermining borders’

Bill Shorten has never had a full security briefing on Operation Sovereign Borders, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says. The Home Affairs Minister continued his attack on Labor’s backing of medical evacuations of sick adult asylum seekers from Nauru and said they were trying to undermine the “three pillars” of the government’s border protection policy.

“These people who think you can just stop boats on the water, turn them around, and everything will be fine. It’s a complete joke … they don’t have any understanding.”

Peter Dutton

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Ryan Pagan, son of Dual AFL premiership coach-turned-real estate agent Denis Pagan who today auctioned Denis's childhood home at 140 Station St which has been transformed into a high-end townhouse. His family lived in the house from 1944. Pagan lived there until he married at 26 and said his footy career started on Station St. . Pic: Michael Klein

‘Overly cautious’

An overly cautious approach by some lenders to tougher lending standards may be affecting their decisions to give loans to households and small business, according to regulators.

The concern emerges in the newly published minutes of a high-level meeting between watchdogs and Treasury, as they closely monitor the housing market.

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web simon K art for Prime Sapce

What our cities can learn from NY

Melbourne and Sydney, our two Australian giants, are quickly approaching the population of current day New York. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Melbourne will reach New York’s 8.6 million residents by 2051. Sydney follows three years later. Simon Kuestenmacher considers what lessons can be found in New York’s city planning.

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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 12: (EDITOR'S NOTE: Alternative crop of image #1072218722) British Prime Minister Theresa May returns to Downing Street after the Confidence Vote in her leadership on December 12, 2018 in London, England. Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee, has received the necessary 48 letters (15% of the parliamentary party) from Conservative MP's that will trigger a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Theresa May. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

May win

An emotional British Prime Minister Theresa May has won a snap leadership vote of confidence after promising Tory backbenchers she would step down before the next general election. Mrs May won the vote with 200 votes for and 117 against. She needed 158/9 to win a majority of the 316 Conservative MPs.

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3d illustration of nerve cells, concept for Neurological Diseases, tumors and brain surgery.

The long read: Stemming MS

Stem-cell therapy produced results for multiple sclerosis patient Mohamad Dawoud after medication failed to help. Sian Powell investigates.

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Comment of the day

“I am ‘religious’ and I prefer this freedom as long it does not preclude others from being critical of religion. Freedom of speech for all, and preferably with reasonable respect.”

Peter, in response to ‘Morrison’s stand on freedom of religion’.