Or will he join the exodus of other disgruntled conservative colleagues, contemplating their navels and commercial futures just now?

Deprived by democracy of the right to divine rule, this mob don't even have the common decency to pretend they care about the country and those who re-elected them. Just look at the Canberra backbench. What a sorry bunch of losers.

Here's the greatest defeatist in modern political history, Peter Costello, bored stiff while apparently firming his options with Goldman Sachs in London. Peter couldn't take the hard yards as Opposition Leader, knowing full well he'd have a long wait and Malcolm Turnbull watching his back.

Alexander Downer has been out to lunch or hamming it up as a dick-jockey with his wife. I liked him better in stockings.

Mark Vaile, former deputy Prime Minister, has been lobbying in the Middle East, after gaving up leadership of the National Party to spend time with his family. Now he's moonlighting on the job and can't see why electors are miffed. Vaile didn't even bother to tell Dr Nelson he was off to road-test a new career.

I could just see what would happen if I told my boss I was taking time off to go magazine freelancing. ''No problems Col, see ya when you get back.''

Peter McGauran, Agriculture Minister in the Howard Government, looks like taking off next month for good.

As for Gone Howard himself, he's strutting the US stage reinforcing the right-wing mantra to sycophantic, neo-conservative mates:pulling troops out of Iraq is ''naive and dangerous,'' Work Choices was an innovative reform. Yeah, right!

The speaking gigs may keep the Howards living in Kirribilli House-style, but Gone did us a big favour. Reminded Australians why we ignominiously and historically booted him out of his seat and the Prime Ministerial office.

As for the rest of these petulant pollies propelled to Opposition after their historic trouncing last November - make the sullen sods pay, I say.

Have the cost of the byelections they force on us in early resignations deducted from their entitlements.

You can see that idea being voted through both Houses, can't you.