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, dumped MP Keith Pitt considers a separate LNP partyroom in Canberra, Aussie sisters’ acid attacker gets 20 years, and we begin our ‘Best of 2017’ long read series with Cameron Stewart’s classic on when Greg Norman clashed with Donald Trump.

Keith Pitt in Question Time in the House of Representatives Chamber, Parliament House in Canberra.

Pitt ponders partyroom for one

Dumped Queensland nationals MP Keith Pitt was yesterday considering establishing a beachhead for the LNP in federal parliament by not sitting in either the Nationals or Liberal party-rooms, according to fresh warnings sounded by his colleagues. The idea, which has been discussed by a group of Queensland MPs, would be to start a new LNP party room in Canberra which could grow over time with Mr Pitt being the breakaway MP to get the ball rolling. Barnaby Joyce, meantime, has flagged a return of Nationals MP Darren Chester to cabinet just one day after he was dumped.

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Fearne McCann Arthur Collins

Acid attacker gets 20 years

A man who threw acid at a crowded London nightclub injuring more than 20 people including two Australian sisters, has been found guilty and sentenced to 20 years jail with another five years on licence. Arthur Collins, the 25 year old former boyfriend of The Only Way Is Essex soapie star Ferne McCann, was yesterday found guilty of five counts of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm and nine counts of assault occasioning bodily harm. Australian model Isobella Fraser, 22, was at The Mangle nightclub with her sister Prue when Collins sprayed the acid after an altercation with a group of men just before 1am on April 17 this year.

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Apple store Fed Square

Apple flagship for Melbourne

Apple is set to build a global flagship store in the heart of Melbourne CBD, with the US technology giant to set up shop at Federation Square. The move, made possible through a partnership with Federation Square and the Victorian state government, will see Apple build a brand new retail space at the site. According to Apple, the store, powered entirely by renewable energy, will deliver 200 new retail jobs and support several hundred construction jobs.

“This will be the only new generation Apple store in Australia — bringing millions more visitors to Victoria and breathing new life into Federation Square.”

John Eren, Victorian Tourism and Major Events Minister

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Here me out on this. Clearly Disney had Hilary's robot ready to go and then they had to try and make it look like Trump. Don't hate me. This is just a necessary and painful fact we all need to deal with. pic.twitter.com/biSirfwE59

— Shannon O'Neill (@spotastic) December 19, 2017

Disney ‘Trumpbot’ baffles

Is it Hillary Clinton? Is it Jon Voigt? No (we don’t think), it’s Donald Trump. Or at least it’s meant to be. A robot of the US president has gone on show at Disney World in Orlando, as part of the Magic Kingdom Park’s Hall of Presidents. According to the official Disney Parks Blog, “Trump” features “the latest advances in technology that enable smoother and more lifelike movements.” The robot, voiced by Mr Trump, gives a 25 minute long speech about the history of the US.

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SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SPECIAL. GREG NORMAN & DONALD TRUMP SPECIAL

The long read (Best of 2017): Shark circles Trump

Before he featured in an embarrassing White House phone call, Greg Norman and Donald Trump had a falling out. Cameron Stewart has the scoop on when the Great White Shark went all Henry Kissinger.

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Gratuitous summer surfing shot

John John Florence, round four, Pipe Masters in Oahu, Hawaii. Picture: AAP

Comment of the day

“Only a gay male can push back and ‘speak truth’ against the #metoo mob with any credibility, as the rabid feminists have successfully tarred all straight men with the same brush.

Well done, Ian McKellen!”

Catherine, in response to ‘Women partly to blame for sex abuse scandal’.