Your noon Briefing: PM says it’s religious schools’ right to discriminate against gays

Hello, readers. PM defends religious schools’ right to discriminate against gay students and teachers and a property downturn looms.

Hello, readers. Scott Morrison defends religious schools’ right to discriminate against gay students and teachers and a property market downturn looms.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison addresses media following a visit to the Six Strings Brewery in Erina on the NSW Central Coast, Wednesday, October 10, 2018. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts) NO ARCHIVING

Gay discrimination existing law: Morrison

Scott Morrison says it is “existing law” for religious schools to have the right to discriminate against gay students and teachers.

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This photo taken on June 17, 2016 shows a worker holding a stop sign in front of an apartment block under construction in Sydney. Sydney is imposing new taxes on foreigners buying homes amid growing concerns that a flood of mostly Chinese investors is crowding out locals and killing the "Great Australian Dream" of owning property. / AFP PHOTO / WILLIAM WEST / TO GO WITH Australia-China-property-tax,FOCUS by Glenda KWEK

Super giant fears property dive

The nation’s largest super fund, the $140 billion AustralianSuper, has revealed fears of a potential property market plunge, sending a shiver through commercial property developers as signs of a downturn loom.

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12/09/2018 Don Fairbrother next to windturbines near his property in South Gippsland. The Victorian government is facing a potential class action after an independent review confirmed resident complaints that noise from a wind farm was causing them harm. The Council ordered report on the Bald Hills wind farm in South Gippsland found there was a nuisance under the public health act. Investigators said they could hear wind turbine noise in some residents homes making conversations difficult.Picture : David Geraghty / The Australian.

WHO puts turbines in doubt

Wind power generators can cause health problems if they result in exposure to excessive noise levels, the World Health Organisation says. The WHO’s recognition of health impacts makes the outlook for wind farm developers increasingly fraught, writes Graham Lloyd.

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Eric Lobbecke Op Ed Cartoon for 10-10-2018. Version: Ozoped Artwork (1024x768 - Aspect ratio preserved, Canvas added)COPYRIGHT: The Australian's artists each have different copyright agreements in place regarding re-use of their work in other publications.Please seek advice from the artists themselves or the Managing Editor of The Australian regarding re-use.

#MeToo and the damage done

The #MeToo movement has thrown away the rule book of democracy by trashing the presumption of innocence in the Brett Kavanaugh debacle, writes Janet Albrechtsen. But as the Kavanaugh battle raged, many missed what looks like the biggest shift in US-China relations since 1971, writes Walter Russell Mead.

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Yellow leopard gecko placed on a cellphone against white background

Pesky gecko is a prank caller

A seal hospital’s resident gecko made a lot of people very angry last week when he got his tiny hands on a phone.