A return of penalty rates possible as Turnbull backbencher threatens to go rogue plus other news and views

George Christensen to go rogue on Malcolm Turnbull - Mackay Daily Mercury

GEORGE Christensen will go rogue in 16 days.
The rebel National MP for Dawson has penned a letter to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, threatening to cross the floor and vote against an already-wounded government that has lost its majority.
Mr Christensen has given himself a good-behaviour deadline of December 4 and after that he will cause "political damage" to get a commission of inquiry into the banking sector and restore penalty rates --- two issues he has been vocal on since being elected to federal Parliament.
Mr Christensen sent the letter, seen by The Daily Mercury, two days after the government was sent into turmoil by the resignation of MP John Alexander, meaning the Prime Minister had lost his parliamentary majority. ...
For his good mate and Nationals leader Mr Joyce, Mr Christensen has given the government until after the December 2 New England by-election before he cuts loose.
"You may be aware of the statement I made publicly that I will not do anything which would cause political damage to the Leader of the Nationals, Barnaby Joyce, while he is fighting a by-election," he wrote in the letter.
"What I have not made public is that after the by-election, the situation will be different."
On December 4, Mr Christensen will remove his self-imposed gag order, and with Mr Alexander's by-election not until December 16, it leaves Mr Turnbull vulnerable.
Mr Christensen is demanding a bill that establishes a time-limited commission of inquiry into the banking sector and another which would restore the penalty rates that were cut on June 20.
"My position about crossing the floor on both of these matters is final, and no amount of lobbying or proposal of other policies... will alter my position," he wrote.

Barnaby Joyce preferencing ‘local, genuine' candidates - Northern Daily Leader

Barnaby Joyce sin-binned for taking eye off the ball - Editorial in the Northern Daily Leader 27/10/2017

Mr Joyce likes to use football analogies. Well, in this case he has taken his eye off the ball, dropped it and fumbled while trying to regather, and its costing the taxpayer an expensive by-election to fund his political rejuvenation.
An apology might be in order.

Scone's Labor candidate for New England David Ewings takes aim at Barnaby Joyce - Hunter Valley News

Fairfax Media this week reported Mr Joyce cited the number of out-of-town candidates as the reason he would not be taking part in open community discussions.

Ironically, Mr Joyce was in fact an out-of-town candidate living in Queensland when he first contested the New England electorate.

Germany's Next Government - Coalition Talks Go Into Overtime - Der Spiegel

Exploratory talks on forming a new government were supposed to have finished in Berlin on Thursday night. Instead, they have hit a wall, with parties continuing to squabble over key issues. Whether or not Angela Merkel can put together an alliance and avert fresh elections is becoming unclear.

Today’s biggest threat to democracy isn’t fake news—it’s selective facts - Quartz
The Global Forum on Tax Transparency intensifies the pressure on tax evaders worldwide - OECD

Federal Agency Drafts New Rules For Transparency In Political Social Media Ads - NPR

UK plastics crackdown to extend to coffee cups - Financial Times

British consumers could face new taxes on takeaway food packaging and containers, including throwaway coffee cups, as the government aims to crack down on environmentally damaging “single-use plastics”.