It's just seven months now until our man in London, Alexander Downer, returns home to Adelaide (or perhaps Melbourne). Barring a last-minute extension (something neither Downer has sought or Malcolm Turnbull has offered), May 2017 will be the second time His Lordship has vacated Stoke Lodge, his childhood home under his father Sir Alick's stint as High Commissioner.

The job is Tony Abbott's for the taking – well, at least it was, until the prospect of a Warringah by-election became such a terrifying prospect for the PM and his somewhat fragile administration. Anyhow, Abbott has made his disinterest in the plum role abundantly clear. Sitting there grinning on the backbench next to Kevin "Schwarzkopf" Andrews, he almost looks content!