In that event the current incumbent has pledged to quit Parliament,causing a byelection for an already devastated government with just a single seat majority.

It is a desperate threat,the only escape from which appears to be the equally calamitous situation of the challenger's parliamentary eligibility being referred to the High Court,also risking a byelection.

Of course,events of this type have occurred before;yet,this is worse. The jarring arrival of Peter Dutton as prime minister would not be the same as the former treasurer Paul Keating taking over from Bob Hawke,nor even a then popular deputy prime minister Julia Gillard replacing Kevin Rudd (even though that ambush surprised everyone). Ditto Rudd's return,or even the high profile Turnbull’s long-foreshadowed rolling of Abbott.

To the extent Dutton has established any reputation at all outside Queensland,it is as a political partisan,an uncompromising hard man on border protection,and an unhesitating divider of the community as shown in his boycott of Kevin Rudd's apology to the Stolen Generations.

But this goes well beyond Dutton. The brazenness of the anti-Turnbull plotters’ contempt for the voters is eye-watering.

Ministers who had lined up at the despatch box on Wednesday to pledge their unqualified loyalty to the Prime Minister,flipped on that promise within 24 hours,as they knew they would. These lions of individualism resigneden masse on Thursday morning,seeking the safety of numbers,and the assurance that their guy would give them back their jobs.

Their shameless betrayal was surpassed only by their disregard of the Parliament and therefore the voters to whom it is answerable.

From here,the only honourable course is an election. But honour left the building some time ago.