We didn’t need it – but yesterday’s Question Time provided plenty of proof that Peter Costello is tired of waiting.

Talk to any Liberal MP this week. First they’ll say that they’re rattled. Next they’ll say they’re p-ssed with the PM. And then what follows depends on just how strongly they support the Treasurer’s aspirations.

Camp Costello firmly believes that the Prime Minister has adopted a deliberate policy of promoting any alternative to their boy – first the Monk, then Dr Brendan and now Malcolm Turnbull.

And there’s genuine anger across the Government benches at the Prime Minister – anger and fear that his hubris may have obscured his judgement.

Election day is still a long way off, but Labor’s looking good. Or much better, anyway. Unless Rudd stuffs it, the chance of a change of government is the best it’s been in a long time.

Neither leader is going to frighten the horses, but Kevin “Dad” Rudd might prove to be more in touch than John “Grandad” Howard. With every year that passes, it becomes harder for the PM to point to bad old days of the Hawke/Keating governments.

So, what will happen now? It’s probably too late for Costello to ride in on a white charger to save Milady the Liberal Party. Mind you, that won’t stop his cheer squad from keeping up their cries, even though that won’t help the government’s chances of holding onto office.

If Howard loses, Costello will remain the most likely successor. But will he stick around then? After all, Costello knows that opposition is a yawn.