"He's an assistant librarian – a cautious conservative who is not taking any risks," says a prominent Liberal figure from Victoria. "He can't inspire anyone and he has no impact. He is the ultimate faceless man. The camera is bored by him."

The target of the character critique? A politician almost no one outside of Victoria has heard of, and almost no one inside the state is inspired by: Michael O'Brien, the leader of the Opposition and state Liberal Party.