Your noon Briefing

Hello readers. Here’s the latest on how the day is playing out plus a long read for lunchtime.

Hello readers. In your noon digest, an alleged terror plot foiled in Melbourne, a glimpse into how Don Burke silenced his critics over a decade ago, and a lunchtime trip to Mauritius.

Australian Federal Police, Acting Deputy Commissioner Ian McCartney (Left) and Victorian Police, Deputy Commissioner Shane Paton addresses the media at the Victorian Police Centre in Docklands in Melbourne on Tuesday, November 28, 2017. Victorian Police Special Operations Group have arrested a 20-year-old Werribee man in undertaking preparations for planning a terrorist act in Melbourne on New Years Eve this year. (AAP Image/James Ross) NO ARCHIVING

Man charged with NYE terror plot

A Melbourne man arrested in counter-terrorism raids was allegedly trying to get a gun and kill “as many people as he could” during New Year’s Eve celebrations at Federation Square. The 20-year-old Muslim man from Werribee in Melbourne’s western suburbs was arrested at 3pm yesterday after a secret operation by the police Special Operations Group. He is still being interviewed, but police expect to charge him shortly with engaging in an act in preparation for a terrorist attack and collecting documents to facilitate an attack. He allegedly displayed sympathies for the Islamic State terrorist organisation.

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Thorny issues for Backyard baron Don Burke

How Burke silenced critics

In 2004, the late Elisabeth Wynhausen and Vanessa Walker spent several weeks investigating what they described as “some of the colourful claims, rumours and innuendos about one of television’s most talked about characters”, Don Burke. In a feature story published in The Australian on April 15, 2004 — one for which Burke himself refused to be interviewed — Wynhausen and Walker revealed how confidentiality agreements and legal letters were used to stop people speaking out against the television personality. This is the feature story as it was published in 2004. Meanwhile, swimmer Susie O’Neill is the latest to come forward, saying Burke made crude and belittling remarks during a visit to her Brisbane home ahead of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

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Jimmy Barnes and Josh Frydenberg

Energy Minister sparks Barnes storm

Rock great Jimmy Barnes has slammed Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg for referencing one of his songs, claiming the government was using him to sell its “shitty policies”. Barnes was left seething after Mr Frydenberg merely mentioned one of his songs at a press conference in the NSW town of Port Kembla yesterday.

“Hey @JoshFrydenberg don’t use my name or my songs to sell your shitty policies. You don’t represent me.”

Jimmy Barnes

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Australia Day crew at the pool.

Mitch fires up over Hottest 100

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield will ask the ABC board to overrule Triple J’s decision to move the Hottest 100 from January 26 as he accused the ABC of trying to “delegitimise Australia Day”. Senator Fifield this morning said the national broadcaster was “making a political statement” in its decision to shift the traditional Australia Day countdown, calling the move “bizarre”, “dumb” and “strange”.

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Mauritius island from helicopter. View on Le Morne mount and One Eye surf spot. Place with biggest waves on Muaritius.

The long read: Tale of two islands

English captain Matthew Flinders was held captive on Mauritius and didn’t want to leave. Neither will you. Mauritius is as exotic as a whiff of vanilla, writes Katrina Lobley. To me, its name is a blend of “more” and “delicious”, and when I say it out loud, it’s as soothing as the breeze jiggling palm fronds or saltwater licking the sand. No wonder honeymooners flock in droves.

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Comment of the day

“Preferencing sitting members last was always a really dumb idea ... This mess has Ashby written all over it.”

Pietro the Deplorable, replying to Jamie Walker’s story on how One Nation’s decision to preference against sitting MPs cost the LNP any chance it had in the Queensland election.