Your noon Briefing:

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

Hello readers. Matthias Cormann shot down plans for government-run super, and an open letter to Bill Shorten not to let Chris Bowen ‘blow it’ on franking credits.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann holding a press conference to release the mid-year economic and fiscal outlook (MYEFO) at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture Kym Smith

Super plan ‘shot down’

A proposal to examine a business case for a government-run default superannuation fund was shot down by Finance Minister Mathias Cormann in deliberations ­before last year’s federal budget.

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Labor leader Bill Shorten (R) and Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen (L) hold a press conference in Melbourne, Friday, October 12, 2018. Labor are revealing today the ALP will back the Government's plan to fast-track tax cuts to small businesses. (AAP Image/David Crosling) NO ARCHIVING,

Don’t blow it

Dear Bill, your treasurer-in-waiting Chris Bowen has allowed himself to be advised by a group of people who did not understand how franking credits work in 2019, relying instead on old, outdated tax data. Robert Gottliebsen pens an open letter to Bill Shorten, urging the Opposition Leader not to let Bowen blow it.

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A flight was forced to trun back to Australia after a man began to fight with fellow travellers.

Flight fight

A pilot turned his Singapore-bound plane back to Australia after a passenger brawled with fellow travellers.

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Nick Sandmann confronts Nathan Phillips. Picture: Reuters.

True lies

A viral video of US teen in a ‘MAGA’ hat confronting a Native American inflamed outrage against the boy. But further video shows a far more complex picture.

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In this Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018 photo large quantities of cannabis is offered during a farmers market style marijuana event Kushstock 6.5 in Adelanto Calif. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)

The long read: Too late to nip in the bud

As Australia debates drugs, legal cannabis is raising health fears in the US.

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Comment of the day

“Bowen is certainly causing people to doubt the idea of retirement saving. Many are now giving up and planning to spend their super and go straight onto a part or full government pension.

“Shorten and Bowen are the architects of this mess and it will flow through to higher taxes on workers for decades to fund the welfare cost.”

:T:, in response to ‘Dear Bill: Don’t let Chris Bowen blow it on franking credits’.