Power 2015: Malcolm Turnbull takes top spot at the 11th hour

When our 2015 power panel met mid-year to debate power in Australia there was deep doubt about whether Tony Abbott had the capacity to use his prime ministerial power effectively. Those doubts were confirmed just as the AFR Magazine Power issue went to print.

Geoff KitneyColumnist

Updated Sep 24, 2015 – 11.39pm, first published at 12.15am

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When our 2015 power panel met mid-year to debate power in Australia it had no trouble agreeing that the prime ministership was the most powerful job in the country. There was deep doubt, however, about whether Tony Abbott had the capacity to use that power effectively.

The discussion inevitably turned to how long a dysfunctional prime ministership could last. Would the Liberal Party trust Abbott to lead it to the next election? Or would the ruthlessness that led to the February leadership spill be revived?

Geoff Kitney was a senior national affairs writer and columnist based in Canberra. Connect with Geoff on Twitter.