What a spectacle.

What an unnecessary show.

When I was a boy the TV show Perfect Match was all the rage.  The host Greg Evans could do a very effective line in piss-taking when one of the panel of 3 men vying for a debutante's affections was manifestly not "up to the job".

One day my dad came home from work and his mate Pat dropped around for a beer.  I had the privilege of eaves-dropping as they discussed a young bloke at dad's work, let's call him Darryl.

Darryl was a bit slow and apparently unacquainted with shampoo and toothpaste.  The other cool young blokes at work had the forms for Perfect Match all filled out for Darryl describing him as a surfy from Cronulla who was thinking about going pro - they had the envelope addressed and stamped and were pissing themselves at morning tea ready to send it when dad walked in.

I'll never forget the way dad spoke about that young bloke's dignity.  He told Pat the other blokes wanted to egg Darryl on to watch him "make a gig of himself".

Dad still had the forms and envelope screwed up safely in his pocket when he got home after giving the piss takers a piece of his mind.

Mates don't treat mates badly, particularly in public.

Malcolm says he is Rudd's friend.

How did it ever get to this?

Rudd hasn't changed between his first display of UN ambition.  How did his friend not tell him - privately - he would not get the nod?

How in God's name did it ever come before Cabinet?  How did we know the date and the hour such a personally sensitive public show would come before Cabinet?  How did we get to know of the weakness and inability of the Cabinet to make a call? How on earth did we get wind - so publicly - of Turnbull's leadership failure on this issue?

And how could a friend so publicly do this to his friend, when a simple early statement "The Australian Government will not be presenting a candidate" would have done the job perfectly?

Dog.

Rudd's response from the news.

Even when Turnbull talks about his "friend" on a matter that is so personally sensitive for his friend - and Australia - Turnbull makes it about himself.

It all had to boil down to "look at me".

Another moment of decisive Turnbull in the spotlight.

Putting aside personal considerations, sacrificing for the national interest - no matter how painful and what ever personal cost.........

I think we've seen enough now Malcolm.  Far too much.

Go and start using your wealth to do some bloody good will you.

I know plenty of people around where I am whose lives you could transform if you came and lived among them.

And Australia would be eternally grateful to you.

And now because of Turnbull's ineptitude, the cracks within his Cabinet have been uncovered.

Bunnings won't be able to keep up the supply of crowbars.

ENDS

UPDATE - here's StevenJ's take on it.