Josh Frydenberg has always been openly ambitious. Ambitious to be Member for Kooyong. Ambitious to be a minister. And ambitious to lead the Liberal Party.

Frydenberg has an astonishing personal and political network. His friendship group is wide, but not as deep. Like many politicians, his friendships are often transactional: they serve his immediate purpose and then he moves on although, to his credit, he still returns favours given.