OUR SAY: Leaders spending too much time jostling for control

IN THE past two days we have watched our government almost tear down another prime minister, I really wonder what our leaders are playing at.

ATTEMPTED SPILL: Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton behind Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Picture: LUKAS COCH

SOMETIMES I really wonder what our leaders in Canberra are playing at.

In the past two days we have watched the government turn on itself and almost tear down another sitting prime minister.

When this happened to Kevin Rudd in 2007, I remember their being an intense and angry reaction in the community.

No matter what party people backed, they were united in their outrage. A few years later when Rudd took his revenge on Julia Gillard, the rage had been replaced by a smug sense of satisfaction. I guess because the rotten affair had come full circle.

All the while the Liberal/ National Coalition howled at the instability, only to turn into hypocrites when it was their turn to play whack-a-mole with their leaders.

This time around, one can best describe the national mood as frustrated indifference.

We've elected these people to lead the country and get things done, but they spend way too much time jostling for control.

They fight among themselves, backflip on previous commitments and argue on issues of style rather than polices of substance.

All the while respect for our leaders falls away.

Sure Malcolm Turnbull's polling numbers are bad, but Bill Shorten's are not much better and, until recently, few people would have recognised Peter Dutton if they passed him on the street.

Do they think by changing prime minister things will magically change? Changing the salesman doesn't change the fact that what he - or she - is selling is pretty average stuff.