Turnbull's promise to fix it was understandably enticing. Yet he now finds himself around halfway to the same benchmark for removal.

For voters, the descent of the Liberal government 2.0 is even less surprising.

MPs confirm this. Ordinary people are sick of politics. Sick of arguments, sick of Trump, of broken promises, browned off with hollow politicians who stand strongly for nothing. They're fed up, too, with a public discourse which is angry, loud, and basically useless.

Turnbull the deal maker is as gridlocked as his hyper-partisan predecessor, his government just as unpopular.

Even surrendering brings new fights and new risks. Having approached the climate change problem constructively and summoned into life a new carbon abatement/energy proposal capable of facilitating the transition to cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable electricity, Turnbull cannot even commit himself to it - for fear of rebellion in his party.