The ancient Greeks had a saying, “Those whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad’. Political madness seemed to have descended on the country along with torrential monsoonal rain at the end of last week, making one wonder if the Second Coming is presaged by a flood.

There was a little ray of sunshine, a small window of fleeting happiness for the government of Malcolm Turnbull when Barnaby Joyce romped home, winning a primary vote of 65 per cent of the primary vote.