This was published 7 years ago
You're not imagining it, Sydney has the second least affordable house prices in the world
Every Monday to Friday I'll be delivering a personally-curated newsletter. Call it the double espresso of news – the morning news kickstart for busy people who want to know what they need to know before they get going.
By Latika Bourke
1. Housing crisis
Australia is a world leader in… housing unaffordability. I thought living in London was bad. Sydney is worse. Again, it's come out second in a global survey of major housing markets. (Second to Hong Kong).
But the most worrying part is all of Australia's major cities made the top 20 Least Affordable rankings. [My report/Fairfax]
Five Australian cities were in the top 20 least affordable cities in the world.Credit: Brendon Thorne
This is also covered in The Australian [Turi Condon] and on CNN. [Kate Springer]
And if you needed any further confirmation, Sydney's median house price rose to a record $1.1 million in the December quarter. [Michael Bleby/Financial Review]
Little wonder the issue is top of mind for the newly sworn-in premier of NSW, Gladys Berejilkian. [Sean Nicholls,James Robertson/Sydney Morning Herald]
2. Aus politics
Senator Arthur Sinodinos.Credit: Wolter Peeters
Strong messaging from Arthur Sinodinos, the new industry minister. He says voters need to accept some industries will die and new ones will replace them. He makes no apology for the closure of the car-manufacturing sector after the coalition withdrew subsidies during the Abbott-Credlin era. Can you tell Sinodinos is ex-Treasury? [Aaron Patrick/Financial Review]
Interesting from Fergus Hunter on the data company, which aided Trump and Brexit, is considering an expansion into Australia. [Fairfax]
Defence intelligence officials will brief the political parties and warn that foreign entities may be trying to hack their emails. A fairly self-evident conclusion given the Russian hacking of the DNC's emails during the US election campaign. [Simon Benson/The Australian]
Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg is back bashing renewable energy in favour of "cleaner coal" and gas. [Greg Sheridan, Sarah Martin/The Australian]
3. Trump
President Donald Trump. Credit: AP
Donald Trump is reported to sign as soon as Monday local time an executive order to renegotiate the trade deal between the United States, Canada and Mexico called NAFTA. [Kristen Walker/NBC News]
He has also signed an executive order to withdraw from the TPP. [BBC]
The shameless crawl back to Trump by Republicans who once denounced him continues. Marco Rubio, who Trump referred to as "Little Marco" during the primary, says he will approve Trump's nomination for Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson. [AP]
Rubio had been the last man standing until his Facebook post today. [Read] The likes of Rubio, Mitt Romney et al and what they said and where they stood on Trump pre-election and post-election underlines everything Trump campaigned on about the "establishment."
Nice piece by international editor Peter Hartcher on the contrast between statesmanlike China's Xi Jinping and the juvenile tweeting machine Donald Trump with global influence up for grabs. [Sydney Morning Herald]
4. Trident
Theresa May listens to Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20.Credit: Nicolas Asfouri
Theresa May looks set to call on Beijing after this week's trip to Washington to see the 45th President. [Financial Times]
As expected, the prime minister did know about the Trident test which is reported to have misfired just weeks before MPs voted on whether or not to build a new fleet of submarines capable of carrying and launching Britain's nuclear weapons system. [BBC]
May's people are blaming the former occupant of No.10, David Cameron, for the cover-up. [The Times]
5. Indonesian boat en route to Malaysia capsizes
10 Indonesian migrants are believed to have died trying to get to Malaysia, illegally, by boat. Up to 40 people may have been on the boat. [ABC]
6. Lion Roars
Sunny Pawar plays Saroo BrierleyCredit: Mark Rogers
So heartening that this wonderful Australian-Indian story of Saroo Brierly's adoption is going gangbusters as the box office.
Lion is enjoying the fifth best opening weekend of all time for an Australian movie. [Karl Quinn/Fairfax]
And that's it from me today, you can follow me on Facebook for more.