I think that Tony remains viable, however he does need a new strategy.
And I think that that strategy should be to stop, and place all the big ticket reforming ideas (welfare, health, education, tax, workplace reform) into Parliamentary committees or inquiries with various reporting dates over 12 - 15 months. This would allow the government to quarantine the toxicity of the debate and the various soap-boxing on areas where i) there is a national interest to having these discussions and b) are areas that both the LNP and ALP share significant common ground and are failing to do so.
I am aware that there will be ground covered that was covered by the Commission of Audit, however, I think to resolve the Senate stalemate you need to have political representatives controlling and creating solutions, rather than unelected individuals.
From there, the parties can formulate policies based on the recommendations of these reports and take it to an election.
This would allow the government to focus on, amongst others area, the infrastructure creation part of their agenda.
I think there is risk in the LNP switching leaders. It will create the beginning of a 'Rudd-Gillard-Rudd' scenario; in that they will have achieved 70%+ of this title by switching leaders. Remember back in 2010, Bishop is in exactly the same position as Gillard when the ALP switched leaders (popular deputy, political stalemate) and no doubt it will end the same way once the gloss wears off; but in this case, possibly within the same term. Bishop, while a respectable and respected member of the LNP, is not a strong-enough leader to starve off a leadership spill against her and historically, she made significant errors in both opposition Treasury and Foreign Affairs portfolios.
