Your noon Briefing: Energy ‘at heart of political disruption’

Your 2-minute digest of today’s top stories and a long read for lunchtime.

Hello readers. Julie Bishop laments how the Libs are divided on climate change, and Sri Lanka’s pacemen give the Aussies a pasting in Canberra.

Julie Bishop before Question Time in the House of Representatives in Parliament House in Canberra. Picture Kym Smith

Divided on climate

Julie Bishop says the Liberals are “divided” on climate change, calling for a policy that will create “regulatory certainty”.

“Our party is divided on the issue of climate change and whether, or how we respond. Interestingly the opinion polls consistently show strong community support action on climate change.

“I don’t see a solution to the current impasse but investors need regulatory certainty given the large and long-term investment needed for building energy generating capacity.”

Julie Bishop

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"Home for Sale by Auction. For Sale sign with auctioneeraas gavel and a chrome house key fob, with house key. Copy space."

House prices plummet

The nation’s housing market got off to a poor start in 2019 with CoreLogic’s home value index dropping again in January.

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Sri Lanka's Vishwa Fernando celebrate's his wicket of Australia's Usman Khawaja caught in the slips for a duck during Day 1 of the second Test match between Australia and Sri Lanka at Manuka oval, Canberra. Picture. Phil Hillyard

On the ropes

Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne are all back in the pavilion as Sri Lanka’s pacemen dominate in the first hour of the second Test. Keep up with all the action in our live Test Match blog.

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A graffiti depicting the image of legendary guerrilla leader Ernesto "Che" Guevara in a street of Havana, on October 2, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / YAMIL LAGE

The long read: Trump targets ‘troika of tyranny’

After Venezuela, regime change in Nicaragua and Cuba is on Team Trump’s agenda.

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Comment of the day

“Wake up Australia! Australian politics will descend into madness if you vote for these independent clowns. I know you’re angry at the Libs but you’re only hurting yourself if you vote them out.”

David, in response to ‘Turnbull’s son helping Banks’.