Tony Abbott was Prime Minister of Australia from 2013 until 2015. A brilliant and ruthless Leader of the Opposition, Abbott's blunt and confrontational style fell flat as prime minister. After just two years in charge, Abbott was deposed by Malcolm Turnbull, leaving office as the most unpopular Australian PM of modern times.

Abbott’s brief premiership represents part of what today’s guest calls the “Italy with Crocodiles” period- Australia had six prime ministers in eight years, but all the while remained one of the best governed countries in the world. At a time when the UK is selecting its third prime minister in six years, the UK would do well to learn from the Australian experience, especially because Britain, unlike Australia, cannot point to stellar governance or administration from top to bottom. As such, this episode is as much about the wider Italy with Crocodiles period as it is about Abbott, and as much about our near future here in Britain as it is about Australia’s recent past.

My guest today is Helen Dale (tweets @_HelenDale). Helen is the author of several novels, including the award-winning The Hand that Signed the Paper, and also worked as Chief of Staff and legal advisor to Australian Senator David Leyonhjelm at the time of Tony Abbott’s premiership. She has also written for the Telegraph and the Spectator, as well as daily newspaper the Australian.