If we continue down that path, we are going to leave future Australians with a lesser quality of life and I’m not going to pass the buck to future generations to pay for my quality of life today.’

There are those who respond to traumatic events by retreating into their personal bubble, and those who respond by fighting back. After suffering the ignominy of commentators (of the left and right) and parliamentary colleagues heaping the government’s current woes upon his not insubstantial shoulders and calling for his head, Joe Hockey has rediscovered his passion for the political process.

And found his mojo.

Under an intense grilling from Leigh Sales on the ABC’s 7.30, the Treasurer rediscovered the good humour-combined-with-punchy-remarks that had been his trademark in opposition. The ability to present a compelling narrative combined with a knockabout, down-to-earth persona was one of the strengths that saw Joe Hockey at one time touted as a strong contender for the Liberal leadership. It is a sign of how much those talents have deserted him since gaining office that he was in many ways the phantom intended victim of the recent spill, as much as Malcolm Turnbull was the phantom intended victor.

‘This is a tipping point for Australia. If we think that we’re just going to get economic growth and everything’s going to be as it was in the early part of this century, it’s not. The world has changed,’ he continued, before drawing on his own background as the son of an immigrant shopkeeper. ‘They’re the ultimate customers,’ he said, referring to the electorate. ‘I grew up in a small business and my dad always said, “The customer is always right,” and he was right.’

One of John Howard’s (many) strengths was his personal connection and empathy with small business people, allowing him to introduce reforms that didn’t reek of the wealthy Tory elite hammering the working poor. This was – and remains – the risk of offering the Treasurer’s job to Malcolm Turnbull; that the necessary cuts and savings would be harder to sell from a man who lives in a Sydney harbourfront mansion.

‘Either we reduce our spending in order to live within our means or we have to increase taxes, which at the end of the day costs people their jobs,’ Mr Hockey continued. This is a far cry and a welcome change from the convoluted mixed messages and celebratory cigars during last year’s budget night and the subsequent nonsense about how poor people don’t drive cars.

Joe Hockey deserves the chance to fashion his second budget, drawing on the political as well as economic lessons he has no doubt learned from his first. The headwinds this country faces are formidable, and the recklessness of Bill Shorten and the obstructionist, Labor-controlled Senate verges on the criminally negligent. It’s not just Joe Hockey’s job – but many future ones – that depend upon him succeeding.

Jones and Jones

In a move that was as novel and eye-catching as their new kidney-shaped set, the producers at the ABC’s oft-derided Q&A program decided to invite popular conservative broadcaster Alan Jones to be interrogated, prodded, cut off, and interrupted (sorry, we mean interviewed) by his namesake and in many ways his opposite number; the equally controversial Tony Jones.

Under the harsh lights of the Ultimo studio, it’s hard to know whose stereotype crumbled the quickest.

Tony Jones used the occasion not to belittle nor to sneer at the country’s most famous shock jock – no doubt to the disappointment of many in the twitterverse – but rather, to explore his ideas and even to till possibly common ground.

It no doubt came as a complete surprise to many on the (thinking) left that Alan Jones is nothing like the rightwing demon he is portrayed as, and indeed has a quasi-agrarian/socialist streak.

Where Tony’s performance was polite, informed and genuinely interested, Alan’s was a show-stopper of charm, passion, intellect and erudition. He even appeared to have leftist comedienne Corrine Grant won over.

If you missed the encounter, check it out on the ABC Q&A website. (You’re paying for it, after all.) Even if only for Mr A Jones’ sharp as a whip retort to Chris Bowen, when Labor’s shadow Treasurer, discussing bi-partisanship, opined: ‘it’s a bit rich to say every Australian should support the Prime Minister of the party.’

Alan Jones didn’t miss a beat: ‘Well, you didn’t support your two.’