Your noon Briefing: Palaszczuk under pressure to axe Trad, staffer

Your 2-minute digest of the day’s top stories.

Hello readers. Queensland’s Premier is under mounting pressure to defend her integrity, and the dirty tricks department comes to the Hong Kong protests.

19/08/2019: Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk responds to pressure to sack her chief of staff after the stateÕs integrity watchdog the CCC confirmed allegations against David Barbagallo, if proven, amounted to corruption, at a press conference to open a upgraded section of the Logan Motorway at Berrinda, south of Brisbane. Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

Premier under pressure

Qld Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has been forced to defend her integrity amid a “crisis” that has engulfed both her deputy and chief of staff.

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Mad Men (the re-screening of series 1, "Encore", to commence Sunday, September 14, 2008 at 9.30pm on AUSTAR'S Movie Extra. Series 2 to premiere on Sunday, December 14, 2008 at 9.30pm on same). Pictured: John Slattery and Jon Hamm.

Game of mates

Like their banking peers, adland execs are now finding their long-running “game of mates” has come home to roost. Here’s why a lot of people are losing their jobs.

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Qld acts on ‘sinister’ protesters

After weeks of disruption, new laws will target protesters putting bystanders at risk.

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Jacinta Ardern and Alan Jones

Ardern responds to Jones

The NZ leader delivers a serve of her own amid fresh outrage at comments made by Alan Jones.

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Protester are seen holding up umbrellas while they walk down a street in Hong Kong on August 18, 2019, Tens of Thousands take to the streets of Hong Kong in a rally in Victoria Park -- According to the organizers over 1.7 million people attended the rally , Hong Kong has been rocked by weeks of protest. (Photo by Vernon Yuen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The long read: Spies on Hong Kong streets

Protesters believe China and police are working to incite violence by planting undercover operatives.