The latest on the Lib preselection catastrophes, the bravery of Tony Wood and Saeed Maasarwe, and I rant about the worst argument for a republic (until the next one).

Don't believe the headlines. Union power will grow under Bill Shorten's election anti-democratic funding thought bubble. And why Greens taking drugs might not be so bad after all.

Halal goes mainstream, Bill Shorten wants to teach your kids to swim (almost) and Kelly O'Dwyer announces her retirement.

BREAKING NEWS: Buzzfeed has the exclusive that Trump instructed his lawyer Michael Cohen to lie to Congress. If true, it is all over for Trump. So much for a light-hearted weekend show. And we learn more about Clive Palmer. Clive, if you're bored, build a Death Star!

Bill rides and bus, why Today's Brooke Boney is the most important person on Australian television and how China is shooting itself in the foot

Vic Police eat a brown sandwich, Rob Oakeshott wants to re-enter politics to fix a pool, the Libs get serious about winning in 2019 and FIRB wakes up to China and the China Communist Party (about time!)

Serial pest Rob Rob Oakeshott is back for that sweet, sweet Parliamentary money, Keating talks super and still doesn't understand it comes out of your wages and has Gillette cut its throat?

The launch edition of The Daily Breakdown cracks open the wallet of GetUp - Australia's most powerful political body and its global network of foreign donors. Show notes available at DailyBreakdown.com.au.

This is The Daily Breakdown - Australia's only daily conservative news podcast.

Available weekdays from 7 AM.

Blogging at DailyBreakdown.com.au and through Twitter @breakdown_daily.

Start your day right with a news service that treats you with respect.