Morrison replaced a “popular PM” did he? If Turnbull was so 'popular’, why is he not still PM? Some people write absolute crap! And since when did 'we’ follow any political leader? We have no say in who the PM is - that's decided by a small number of politicians we might or might not have voted for. Once an election is over, we have no say whatsoever in what some dipstick of a Prime Minister decides to do or not do. We certainly do not follow him. We do as we are are bloody told, and suffer whatever some jerk who is no smarter than the rest of us decides. We most certainly do not “connect with” people as remote from us as Australian politicians are.

If there was no compulsory voting, half the population wouldn't bother to vote, such is the contempt for the political class and its so-called leaders.

Barnaby is a cuddly happy beetroot with endearing foot in his mouth.

Do people actually employ this dill?

Of course not, they pay him to go far far away, & stay there.

doubt very much if emotional renascence has very much to do with why we select leaders except for exceptions like Herr Hitler and a very divisive Donald Trump. And a lot more to do with ultimately destructive, divide and rule strategies that turn generic son against generic father, generic brother against generic brother and too successful!

To the point, where we no longer trust the divide and rule tactics and those who so negatively employ, usually folk with no future vision no leadership skills and no new or bold new ideas, And simply consumed with an objective to win and limited to high school debate over matters of little consequence to a divided and mortgaged to the hilt, nation!

Leaders are born not made. And are willing to suffer derision from some recalcitrant quarters for simply embracing the future and a few new or novel if workable ideas. Are not confined to just those ideas that emanate from their side of politics.

But rather, any and good or quality ideas with merit. Listen to those who elected them and pay their overly generous salaries and "entitlements"! rather than pontificate and sell political partisan ideas that choke the nation rather than create what it could be instead.

Too much same old business, as usual, that cripples all parliaments, the nation, the reason we have and continue to go backward from a post-war position of unprecedented prosperity as the third wealthiest nation and a creditor one at that!

We could find leaders with ideas and have folks follow them save for partisan and self-destructive politics and section 44, reinterpreted and used so well, with such destructive effects, to stifle or kill stillborn, real leadership and or potential leaders, needed as never before by a hopelessly divided and about to fall, nation.

And having listened, act as if those who elect them have a right to have their wishes and expectations put at the head of the queue, rather than this or that "generous" (foreign) investor with bulging pockets?
Alan B.

"Kevin Rudd offered a feeling of freshness" only for a minority like the author.

Rudd was/is more a narcissist little boy who felt/feels sorry for himself.

This didn't make Rudd gentle when PM. Rather Rudd micro-managed and lashed out at staff (eg. 4am angry phone calls) whenever he could get away with it.

Rudd also lashed out at Turnbull when Turnbull rightly identified Rudd as unsuitable to be nominated by Australia as leadership material (Secretary General) of the UN. Such a job requires modesty.

Rudd was/is conceited, rather than being "fresh" or modest.

Xi Jinping is general secretary of the Communist Party , president for life and chairman of the Central Military Commission as China's "paramount leader", and in 2016 "core leader". During the Cultural Revolution he lived in a cave in the village of Liangjiahe where he organised communal labourers. His internet censorship is the concept of "internet sovereignty". Considered the central figure of the fifth generation of leadership of the People's Republic and one of the most powerful leaders in modern Chinese history, Xi's political thoughts have been written into the party and state constitutions. In 2018 his leadership took over PNG and subsidised Canberra's decisions and arrangements for Prince Charles followers.