I can see it now: As Gillard is being dragged out to the car, Abbott turns around to the head of the police force and says, "I know you want me to go quietly with you so you can calm down the situation but would it not be better for me to go out and address the crowd. I know that it might incite them to become even more violent and it will embarrass the PM if it is successful (especially after she has inquired and made sure of my safety), but surely it is worth the risk."

And the head of the Police force replies, "Sure don't follow my advice, go ahead and do what you think is right."

I have asked someone who has been a independent consultant to numerous Federal Ministers of Health what Abbott was like as a Minister of Health. "He was very diligent about reading the briefs, asked intelligent questions, generally followed expert advice and made decisions. Compared with most Ministers he was a pleasure to work with."

Tsk, Tsk. Breeches of security? Safety in pants? Should be 'breaches of security.' Bad editing.

I am an immigrant. From my observations of Australian electoral processes they are generally not based on a coherent vision or long term planning for particular goals so it is unreasonable to expect Abbott to behave differently. Electoral politics are based on promises of largess to various sections of the electorate - sports clubs - religious schools etc. They have little or nothing to do with the good of Australia or the wider world. Both Gillard and Abbott play that game. However, we have a chance to vote for neither. We can only vote for our local representative who really doesn't represent us. He or she must put the decision of the party room over conscience, the wishes of constituents and the good of Australia and the world. I wish Australia were a democracy. However, it is a good place to live. I will try to make it more democratic by pushing for a greater separation of religion and state. Presumably the political parties will continue to be controlled by those who make a living from them and those entities which give money to them.

Excellent analysis. Thanks, Bruce.

Just two queries, however.

Regarding "His mainly lazy parliamentary colleagues are prepared to let Tony take the running in a forthcoming electoral contest they see Julia Gillard handing to them."

Is it possible they are just waiting until the strategic moment - say, five months out from the next election - to replace him with a more plausible, more statesmanlike long-term PM, namely Malcolm Turnbull, after Mr Abbott has completed his rotweiler mission?

And why did you not refer at all to Mr Abbott's appalling grasp of truthfulness and honesty as a disqualifying factor?

Curiously, one of the more telling instances of this also involves Cardinal Pell:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvYzLIywCiA

Mr Abbott,s abolition pledges written in blood will go against him. Julia is giving tax breaks to business with mining tax money. The man with the mouth has again put his foot in it, saying yesterday the tax cuts are too expensive.

I suggest you read Mr Abbott's address to the National Press Club yesterday, Bruce. Despite the negative comments from your fellow-travellers at 'The Age' (also known as the Green Left Daily), you might find a compelling, positive vision for an Australia free from the suffocating pressures of excessive government intervention in the daily lives of both citizens and businesses.

All sorts of proposals sound good, it's a matter of getting them up to a satisfactory level that suites all people. And with Tony's ability as an economist i doubt it.