When Vladimir Lenin outsmarted Mr Kerensky and the Nicholas, Russian Emperor, to seize power for the Bolsheviks in 1917 it was more than the Wagga Wagga Advertiser could stomach. Its editorial the next morning gave Nicholas a good thrashing. "Many times,", the Advertiser intoned, "the Wagga Wagga Advertiser has warned the Tsar..."

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There was of course no such editorial, least of all from the lower Murrumbidgee, although I could imagine one or two of its former editors, including Michael McCormack, fulminating in this fashion. There are similar legends of minor newspapers in virtually every English-speaking country, invented as a warning about their editors taking themselves too seriously, overestimating their influence, or being a little on the pompous side.

I have not got myself in quite such a situation but have been wondering idly why most parliamentary members of the federal Liberal Party have been ignoring my advice about maintaining the symbolism of net zero emission by 2050. All the more so, I would have thought, because the advice was disinterested and well-meant, and because the more conservative Liberals (and virtually all the Nationals) have not yet publicly explained the reasoning for ignoring clear indications of voter opinion, opting instead to go for a set of slogans without visible means of (public) support.

It is quite true that I have not had a high strike rate with advice to the Liberals over the past 30 years or so. Sometimes, my opinions have been a source of mirth. About 23 years ago, I thought that Tony Abbott, then minister for health, had said something sensible when he said that fighting the war against terror involved more than weapons or fighting superiority. The West had to show its moral advantage and to win the propaganda war as well. I wrote to this effect.

In cabinet the next day, the Treasurer, Peter Costello, said that he desired to draw to the attention of ministers that morning's editorial in The Canberra Times. Most ministers seemed in on the joke, and exclaimed things like "Oh, The Canberra Times. Well, what does it think? "As Costello read the editorial with significant pauses, ministers interjected with phrases such as "Good point, Tony", and "Oh, hear hear", and "well said". Sometimes repeating back a sentence aloud.

Later, a somewhat humiliated Abbott rang me to ask that I never write a word of praise for him, on any subject, ever again. I would like to say that I kept my promise but I did not. But he soon prospered in the world, becoming leader of the opposition and then prime minister. I shouldn't think, looking back that I dispensed much praise.

As Peta Credlin, Tony Abbott's former chief of staff has said in her column in The Australian, winning back office is hard work, particularly after some of the recent drubbings. It involves a detailed plan "and the one thing the Victorian Liberals have never had in 11 years of opposition is a plan to make a difference rather than a hope to change the government and a plot to change their leader.

"This is not confined to Victoria. The NSW Liberals, likewise, seem more focused on changing their leader than on working out what they would do differently to make their state better. And while the Liberals in South Australia and Western Australia appear happily bereft of any imminent moves against their leaders, probably because they have been reduced to such a rump there are few options left, they seem equally devoid of a vision to make their states more economically dynamic and socially cohesive.''

At the federal level, there had been an epic struggle over net zero emissions by 2050, "a policy straitjacket that was driving up power prices, closing down heavy industry and threatening to........

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