Your noon Briefing: Explosive new Husar allegations

Welcome to your noon digest of what’s been making news and what to watch for.

Hello readers. Here is your noon roundup of today’s top stories and a long read for lunchtime.

Labor Member for Lindsay Emma Husar during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) NO ARCHIVING

‘They’ll stop at nothing’

Emma Husar has denied explosive new allegations including that she sexually harassed another politician and diverted thousands of dollars into her personal bank account. Staff allege Ms Husar performed the revealing leg-crossing move made famous by Sharon Stone in the film Basic Instinct in front of a Labor frontbencher, BuzzFeed News report today.

“This smear is completely and utterly untrue, unfair and hurtful beyond belief. 100 per cent false. These are absolute lies that have been fabricated by (a former staffer) .... against me (to) ruin my reputation ... it’s clear these people will stop at nothing to destroy me.”

Emma Husar

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'Police' signage is seen at the Police Headquarters on Angas Street in Adelaide, Monday, April 2, 2018. (AAP Image/Morgan Sette) NO ARCHIVING

Arrests for rorts

Victorian fraud squad investigators have pounced on more than a dozen individuals across three states for questioning this morning as a criminal investigation into Labor’s red shirt rorts intensifies. It is understood Victoria Police are questioning former campaigners and Labor staff over making false documents, specifically relating to time sheets that were signed in 2014 that show state campaigners were also working as electoral officers.

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13/12/2017 Borce Ristevski in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday. Photo: Courtesy Channel Nine

Ristevski charged with wife’s murder

Borce Ristevski has been ordered to stand trial charged with murdering his wife Karen Ristevski in the couple’s Melbourne home. Ristevski, 54, allegedly killed his dress shop-owner wife, 47, at their Avondale Heights home on June 29, 2016 before dumping her body in the bush.

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Maria Butina pictured holding a gun.Maria has been charged with spying in the US.Picture: Supplied/ Facebook

The long read: Hunt for Red October

As US National Intelligence director Dan Coats puts it, the warning lights are “blinking red” on ­Russian cyber attacks ahead of the November US midterm elections, writes Cameron Stewart. Just yesterday Facebook revealed sophisticated attempts on its platforms to sway the elections, with Russia the prime suspect.

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Comment of the day

“It’s only a question of time before they ban male and female connectors at Bunnings!”

Nick, in reponse to ‘Bureaucrats told: use gender-neutral speech’.