Dinosaurs, disgruntled employees, Chinese spies, Titanic enterprises, JFK rip-offs, unpaid taxes, smacking Senate bottoms, strange circular self-generating taxation schemes and so on. Professor Palmer has introduced a plethora of concepts into the public discourse over the last couple of years; arguably none of them of any merit.

Just when it looked like our democracy had sensibly rid itself of the self-serving antics of the likes of Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor, along comes the new spoilt rich kid on the block, eager for our attention. That the head of the PUP intends to throw his not inconsiderable weight around the parliamentary chamber is clear, with his own immodest promise of providing a news headline every time he comes to Canberra an ominous warning.

‘I’m not going to commit to sit in a box and do nothing,’ the attention-loving billionaire told reporters in a clear case of stating the bleeding obvious. ‘I’m full-time. Fully retired from business, 100 per cent politician. That’s all I’m doing. Nothing else.’

What the last election made clear is that Australians long for an adult, sober, methodical, competent — even boring! — period of governing, devoid of headline-grabbing antics. Mr Palmer’s extroverted and flamboyant personality suggests the complete opposite: irrational thought-bubbles, stunts, unsubstantiated wild claims, even attention-grabbing tantrums. All by himself, the energetic mining magnate is capable of filling large parts of the media vacuum that Mr Abbott’s low profile method of governing encourages.

At this stage, with the final make-up of the senate unclear, it is too early to say how much genuine power Mr Palmer will wield, and the price he will demand to control it. Although conservative by nature, certain pronouncements have hinted at a vengeful jihad against his former pals in the LNP, Campbell and Tony included.

Colourful, provocative individuals can, of course, be a boon to any democracy, allowing ideas at the extremes to be filtered through the parliamentary process rather than mushrooming in a darker space. Pauline Hanson’s fixation on what she deemed to be excessive indigenous welfare was for many hard to stomach at the time, but undeniably some of her criticisms have now been accepted by the mainstream, indigenous Australia included. Barnaby Joyce’s focus on the dangers of American debt was derided, but nonetheless prescient. Bob Katter’s obsession with the protectionist policies of the past is an important reminder of the price of globalisation.

Unfortunately, despite the voluminous outpourings from Mr Palmer, we are yet to hear any ideas — provocative or otherwise — that merit serious parliamentary consideration. Indeed, whatever obscure agenda Mr Palmer is pursuing, thus far positive, helpful, engaging ideas are absent. ‘Six months of the year members of parliament get elected to represent their community,’ pronounced the maverick MP on his arrival in the nation’s capital, ‘but they live in Canberra. No wonder they’re devoid of any ideas.’ Pot meet kettle.

Gotta zip, folks

Malcolm Turnbull jumped to his feet, thinking a standing ovation was in order, then foolishly sat down again, realising it wasn’t. Such was the ambivalence and confusion surrounding the resignation of the member for Griffith and former prime minister.

‘Enough is enough’ is how Bill Shorten summed up the reasons for the departure of this unusual man, clearly expressing not Kevin Rudd’s but his own paranoid sentiments. Tony Abbott, fumbling around in his haversack for something decent to say about his most recent foe, settled on the ‘Apology’ as his most laudable achievement.

Others sensibly concurred. After all, there wasn’t much else. ‘I have seen the Kevin Rudd others haven’t seen,’ was the less-than-appealing imagery summoned up by Mr Rudd’s old TV sparring partner Joe Hockey. Anthony Albanese, erroneously dubbed ‘our most formidable parliamentarian’ by his former boss, quite rightly pointed out that Labor had only governed for about a third of the last century. Rather than wondering why — Rudd’s fraudulence, incompetence and sabotage is probably the key reason Labor will be wandering in the wilderness for many years yet — ‘Albo’ waffled on about Kevin’s corridor skills at this-and-that summit.

All in all it was slim pickings for a legacy. So let us be clear where others are evasive and diplomatic: Kevin Rudd was a disaster for Labor, for Australia, for our borders and for our economy. He will not be missed. By anyone.