Governments age in dog years: far quicker than the voters that elect them. Wear and tear takes its toll on the machine of government. Policy becomes sclerotic. Talented people leave or are forced out, replaced by second and third-rankers. Leaders become isolated, cocooned in luxurious power. Mistakes are made. Political damage accumulates.

The Coalition government led by Scott Morrison is now 101 months old. It’s older than Rudd-Gillard, older than Curtin-Chifley, older than the governments of Malcolm Fraser or Joseph Lyons. The spring of 2013, when Australia needed Tony Abbott, seems a very long time ago. Only Luke Breust and Jack Gunston are still playing from the Hawthorn side that won the AFL premiership that September. Children who were in kindergarten in 2013 are now in high school.