And they’d appeal more to the larger bloc of the right wing in Australia who have conservative beliefs, rather than Conservative identity.

On another note, I can see Jacques has picked up the Murdoch press habit of using the “Dear Leader” moniker. Apart from being lazy wit, you don’t think its cheapening the extent of the suffering within N Korea? It just makes me a bit uncormfortable to trivialise totalitarianism for a cheap political point or witticism.

In my view the population is split long-term roughly 50:50 between those on either side of the centre, but the pendulum does have large pendulum swings from time to time. At present the swing is well and truly to the left. Of the four parties at present, three are leftish (ALP, Liberal, Greens) and the fourth (Nationals) remain a rent-seeking special interest party. Someone like myself whose beliefs are an amalgam of classical liberalism and conservatism simply have no one to vote for at present.

Adjustment like this take many many years, and it looks as if we are stuck with the appalling Rudd for at least three more terms. He’s certainly far worse than Whitlam was, but has better political cunnning, and will last a long time.

It’s funny, isn’t it? We in the political class like to pretend that we’re all about policy, rational debate and august decision making. We look down our noses at fans of Australian Idol and Big Brother; yet come down to it we’re just as fascinated in the minutiae of personality and personal drama.

I wouldn’t have voted for Kevin Andrews in a blue fit because of how he led the charge to ride roughshod over the democratic rights of Territorians on the matter of euthenasia. I wouldn’t vote for Abbott because he’d be just as bad.

I’ve always thought Hockey was a likeable, jovial sort of fellow; but what does he actually stand for and believe in? It’s not clear.

As a liberal/libertarian, Turnbull is probably as good as it’s likely to get. Which is probably why the uglies are trying so hard to tear the man down.

I would actually vote for the Coalition now with Turnbull as leader, whereas I certainly wouldn’t under any of the other leadership contenders. I don’t accept that Turnbull’s conduct of the emissions trading issue demonstrates political ineptitude. The actions of the Liberal troglodytes in the last 24 hours show they have no principle whatever and will stop at nothing to get their way despite the fact that a (narrow) majority of the party room appears to back the emissions trading legislation. Thus it wouldn’t have mattered what policy stance Turnbull had adopted or what tactics and strategies, the trogs would have taken extreme action anyway to get their own way. They became too accustomed under Howard to riding roughshod over the genuine liberals in the Liberal Party, and apparently still have that “born to rule” mentality even if it means ruling over a party they have doomed to long term opposition. There’s a certain irony in the fact that it has now emerged that the architect of Malcolm’s initial fall from grace in the Godwin Grech affair was Howard’s long-term guru Arthur Sinodinos. A more paranoid person than me could manufacture a plausible Machiavellian conspiracy theory out of that.

Jacques, I’m surprised you’re just covering this in the standard MSM “football commentary” genre of political reportage. I would have imagined that, as a liberal/libertarian, you would be deeply concerned by the prospect of the Conservatives taking over again, and wanting Turnbull as a genuine liberal/libertarian to prevail despite his shortcomings. Or are you assuming that the bumbling, likeable but none-too-bright Joe Hockey will win?

They may well crucify him on Monday or he may yet prevail.

And if he is determined to lead the Liberals to government he may step aside, while they burn up the next leader or two, and try to stage a comeback once the trogs are fully spent (if they aren’t already).