Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has unleashed a blistering attack on Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, slamming him as a "simpering sycophant" and a "parasite" who yearns for his own harbourside mansion.

Liberal senator Cory Bernardi is set to split from the Coalition over coming days to form his own political party.

The ABC understands the South Australian senator will walk out of the Liberal Party within the next 48 hours.

nuzes...

Donald Trump has now been president of the United States for two weeks. It literally pains me to write about all that has happened in these first days. The president of the U.S. is a racist. He is attempting a coup from the top; he wants to establish an illiberal democracy, or worse; he wants to undermine the balance of power.

ANY INQUIRY into fake news is much like having a royal commission into the make up and motivation for halal food. (The latter absurd proposition has been put forth by a few Australian politicians irritated by the Islamist bogeyman.) Neither mission is particularly helpful, other than to illustrate a mounting ignorance about a phenomenon that always was.