Is Anthony Albanese the worst prime minister in living memory? Certainly a few days ago someone called Steve Price thought so: "Albo is our worst PM in living memory - we're led by Sir Les Patterson without the humour," he opined in The Herald Sun. Other commentators on the right have echoed the same "worst ever" line.

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It's true that Mr Albanese comes off badly in a comparison with the great Sir Les. Australia's former Cultural Attaché to the Court of St James's would be a hoot in a bar late at night. I'd buy him his zillionth scotch, sink back into the banquette and watch the show.

Mr A, I'm not so sure.

But I should point out that his job is not to keep us amused. It is to steer this country through very choppy waters. Inflation is rising. China is rising. Interest rates are rising. House prices are falling. A sense of economic wellbeing is falling - and so are Mr Albanese's popularity ratings, as measured by YouGov.

I have no views on whether Mr Albanese is the worst prime minister in the history of human kind. But I do think that politicians are increasingly blamed for the stormy weather they can't control. They get a bad rap unfairly (including Scott Morrison over his "I don't hold a hose, mate" remark).

There was a time when prime ministers lasted - think of Menzies (16 years in his second, post-war go); John Howard (nearly 12 years); Bob Hawke (nearly nine years); Malcolm Fraser (seven years).

And then came the revolving door where prime ministers would scarcely have unpacked at The Lodge before the removalists turned up. Think of the last four before Mr Albanese: Scott Morrison (nearly four years); Malcolm Turnbull (nearly three years); Tony Abbott (four days short of two years); Kevin Rudd (not even three months in his second go).

Between 1975 and 2007, Australia had four PMs. Since then, it's had seven.

The same pattern of discontent with leaders has been clear in Europe. President Macron and Chancellor Mertz in Germany are despised by many - 85 per cent of voters disapprove of both their performances. In the last 10 years, Britain has had six prime ministers. Liz Truss didn't last two months (though it should be said that........

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