Turnbull key to reshaping Libs

If a new leader of a demoralised political party is to succeed in revolutionising that party's image and way of operating, he must be able to inspire party members. Is Turnbull capable of doing this?

I would argue that he can. Not only is Turnbull a gifted orator, he works extraordinarily hard and inspires others to rally around the cause. That was certainly the case when he ran the Australian Republican Movement in the 1990s.

I saw at close hand the way in which Turnbull galvanised a geographically and culturally diverse group of Australians into campaigning for an Australian head of state.

That is not to say that there is no risk in the Liberals asking Turnbull to lead them in opposition. One criticism made of Turnbull in his republican days was that he presented as arrogant. If that was true then, it appears not to be the case today. I am not alone among Turnbull's supporters and acquaintances who have noticed that he has taken the collegial nature of cabinet government like a fish to water.

Of course, Turnbull has to get re-elected in his Sydney seat of Wentworth first. But with the man he beat at preselection in 2004, former MP Peter King not running, conservative vote has only one place to go this time around.

If the Liberals lose the election to the ALP it will need to regroup quickly and Malcolm Turnbull is still fresh enough as a political player to ensure that happens.