Rating Malcolm

Australia has had 29 Prime Ministers – some excellent, a few worthy of special mention, many mediocre, some shockers.

I thought that I would rate them while enjoying a wee dram of superb single malt scotch whisky – Lagavulin from the Isle of Islay – as it expands my mind to a splendid level of generosity.

The result is that I rank Malcolm Turnbull at No 19, ahead of Abbott, Rudd and McMahon who shared the wooden spoon.

My reasoning is simple. He has the capacity to become a great PM, but he is a long way short of realising his potential.

Let me state the basis of my calculations.

I have left out Forde, McEwan and Fadden, each of whom served for only a matter of days. This leaves us 26 to chose from.

Listed in order of serving, my top rung consists of Barton, Deakin, Curtin, Chifley, Menzies, Hawke, Keating and Howard.

Ranked just below them are those who performed honourably – Fisher, Scullin and Gillard.

Mediocre were Watson, Bruce, Lyons, Holt, Gorton and Turnbull.

Shockers were Reid, Cook, Hughes, McMahon, Fraser, Rudd and Abbott.

And who was the best of all – Joseph Benedict Chifley.

Why?