EGO defeats NOUS

So, Morrison has to try to sort out the mess. This is an impossible task as he leads a hugely divided Coalition where relationships have been destroyed to the extent that there are dozens of people in his team seeking revenge against former friends in a wide range of ways for a myriad of alleged sins.

It is vital for Australia that a election happens tomorrow. The poison has to be drained away.

It seems to me that Parliament is driven by ego at every level and it has been fostered by the supreme egos of Rudd, Abbott and Turnbull. Their example has left not one shred of humble service in its wake.

And political nous has almost disappeared. For all his sins, Howard had nous. He could smell trouble miles away. The debacle of this last month would never have happened on his watch.

Can I suggest that everyone in the Parliament buys and reads a splendid book called 'Team of Rivals' by Doris Kearns Goodwin? It tells the story of the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln.

He won office by a narrow margin and then filled his Cabinet with his major and most powerful political enemies from his own Party and from all the other Parties. But, each one that he chose had stature and ability. He welded them into a team, drawing out their finest skills and allowing them to get all the praise for their achievements. On the day of his assassination, they stood around his deathbed with genuine tears flowing.

One said, 'He now belongs to the ages'. And he does.

Could it happen in Australia right now? No. Nevertheless, we need it desperately.

Can I return to our Founding Fathers?

They achieved the Federation of Australian States in just a dozen years despite having to overcome huge parochialism and against devious political enemies. But, they felt a huge sense of calling to make Australia work. They met regularly at the Melbourne Club to agree on the tumultuous legislation needed to create a working nation. They were statesmen and nation builders first, politicians last.

There must be some good people somewhere in our current Parliament who can now step forward and make it happen again.

We will cheer them to the echo if they do.