Malcolm Turnbull and James Merlino on Wednesday. Lovely sentiments. Lovely and, as it turned out, tragically unrealistic. Soon, the acting Premier would be telling the Prime Minister to "talk to the mobster's mate," a reference to state Liberal leader Matthew Guy's private dinner last year attended by the alleged head of the Melbourne Mafia. The joint press conference – called to trumpet a "City Deal" to boost business and infrastructure investment in Victoria's second largest city – arrived after months of hostile bickering over the state Labor government's handling of youth crime in Melbourne suburbs. Federal Liberals have weighed in to back up their state colleagues' attacks, with Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton recently saying people were scared to go out at night and calling on Premier Daniel Andrews to apologise to Victorians for a spate of street violence.

On Wednesday, there was some resistance – half-hearted, at best – about going there. "That's one example where comments are made and there are different points of view, disagreements between the state and federal government," Mr Merlino said, struggling, as the journalists' questions started. "I agree this is not the time to have a debate about law and order in Victoria here but as James, I'm sure, agrees and I think every member of Parliament here agrees, whatever party they're from, the first duty of every government is to keep its citizens safe," Mr Turnbull said. Then the wheels fell off the Bipartisanship Wagon. The Prime Minister said gang problems needed to be dealt with by the Victorian government, Victorian police and the Victorian justice system and asserted that Sydney did not have the same problems.

Mr Turnbull then referenced changes proposed by the Victorian Liberals and promised the Commonwealth was doing everything it could to back up state efforts. Mr Merlino fired back that he'd like to "get some facts on the table" and noted Victoria had experienced a drop in crime rates. "And Malcolm, in terms of what you can do to assist, well there is firearms legislation in the Victorian Parliament. Your counterpart, you mentioned Matthew Guy, Matthew Guy and the Liberal Party are stalling that legislation and seeking to water it down. The assistant commissioner of Victoria Police has described that firearms legislation as a gamechanger in terms of dealing with organised crime," he offered. "So the best thing you can do, Malcolm, for Victoria is get on the phone, talk to the mobster's mate, Matthew Guy, and get the Liberal Party to support that legislation." Mr Turnbull: "Now, James, honestly. James, James. Oh, look, I understand why you had to say that but..."

(At this point, the Prime Minister put his arm around Mr Merlino.) Mr Merlino: "Well, if we are going to talk about law and order, it's important to get some stats on the table." Mr Turnbull: "Yeah, alright, alright. Well, we'll raise the tone, we'll raise the tone. Let me talk about my trip to Japan." Then, with a prompt cry of "last question!" from the Prime Minister's press secretary and a suitably awkward handshake, the display of bipartisan co-operation was over.