Your noon Briefing: PM says Erdogan has ‘moderated views’

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

Hello readers. Turkey’s president has backed away from ‘very offensive’ comments about Australians, ScoMo says, and crimes spike in Victoria.

PM Scott Morrison speaking to the media at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture Kym Smith

PM welcomes Erdogan backdown

Scott Morrison says Turkey’s President has “moderated his views” after the Prime Minister took him on over his “very offensive” outburst against Australians. Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s office today said the President’s comments that Australians with anti-Muslim views would be sent back in coffins like “their grandfathers (in Gallipoli)” were taken out-of-context and that he welcomed Anzac Day visitors.

“It’s my intention here to break any cycle of recklessness and work through the issues practically, to register in the strongest and clearest of terms the offence that was taken, I believe rightly, by those comments yesterday.”

Scott Morrison

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Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway, George Conway.

‘Whack job’

Finding herself stuck in a feud between her husband and Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway has chosen whose side she’s on.

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DC Shane Patton speaks to the media during a police press conference in Melbourne, Thursday, February 14, 2019. (AAP Image/Erik Anderson) NO ARCHIVING

Crimes spike

The number of crimes recorded in Victoria has risen with increases in carjackings, drug dealing and trafficking and stalking.

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Aust Navy warship HMAS Maryborough is the newest Armidale Class Patrol boat to enter service in the Royal Australian Navy, recently commissioning in Brisbane. HMAS Maryborough enters Sydney Harbour for the first time.

Navy’s blaze chaos

Extinguisher failure, untrained crew, faulty breathing gear. An explosion of fire at midnight met a perfect storm of problems.

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Harry Triguboff at the Opening of his New Meriton development Pagewood Green. Picture: John Appleyard

Harry vs doomsayers

Don’t believe the property pessimists like UBS, says apartment king Harry Triguboff. They’ve all got it wrong. Robert Gottliebsen reports.

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NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian during a tour of the Sydney Metro site at Marrickville in Sydney, Thursday, March 14, 2019. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett) NO ARCHIVING

The long read: Failure to sell success

The NSW election campaign makes it clear that the old rules for winning office clearly no longer have any bearing. John Ferguson has the story.

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Comment of the day

“I’m impressed with Gladys, I had never seen her in a debate situation before tonight and I like the lady. Came across as genuine person.”

Nick, in response to ‘Daley fumbles in debate shocker’.