It’s official! Small l liberalism is the new black. Trying it on with her colleagues has been Senator Helen Coonan, who dumped her moderate affiliations for a better spot on the Senate ticket more than half a decade ago.

As the contenders line up for the Liberal leadership, Christopher Pearson is right behind Tony Abbott, but that’s about it. Pearson is right on Abbott’s qualities, but there are more important considerations that tip the balance Turnbull’s way.

The Liberal leadership contest is being conducted in a surprisingly civil way. It looks as if it will be decided on merit. People from the backrooms are staying mum. Everyone is being very polite. So polite that no one will talk about Malcolm Turnbull and money.

The Libs are going to need it. Badly. Turnbull has plenty of his own, but he offers more than that. Turnbull is a former federal treasurer of the Liberals. He knows where to go to get the funds. That skill will be vital.

Turnbull also has ideas. He offered plenty on tax reform during his first 12 months in parliament, before he was made a parliamentary secretary. He also ran the Liberal Party think-tank, the Menzies Research Centre. He has built close links with the cluey and influential Centre for Independent Studies.

Opposition leader Turnbull will offer an appealing contrast to Kevin Rudd. Rudd is managerial. Turnbull is entrepreneurial.

The job of opposition leader is very different to that of prime minister. It involves raising different and better answers to the nation’s needs. Turnbull’s entrepreneurship suits this. His can do style will contrast favourably with Rudd’s managerialism.

Turnbull also has a killer instinct. Abbott can handle himself in a fight, but Turnbull’s wet work skills are more finely honed.

The Liberal should have plenty of opportunity to use them. Labor has been out of office for 11 years. Inexperienced ministers are bound to stumble – especially with the way Rudd is setting the bar so high.

There is also potential for corruption and conflicts of interest – or at the very least some messy perception issues – with Labor in power in all states and territories and Labor linked lobbying firms knocking on doors all over the nation. Turnbull will be able to capitalise on these.

Brendan Nelson is simply a pretender. He is obsessed with the superficial from his receding hairline down.

Contender for the deputy’s job, Julie Bishop, has been even more incompetent as an education minister than Nelson. We never heard a peep out of her about deregulating universities and freeing them from the thickets of federal red tape which caused the administrative cost excesses she continually complained about.

Chris Pyne has potential, but the Liberals need Andrew Robb right now. He is a Victorian, and balances Turnbull from NSW.

He is also a fixer. Robb will be able to sort out the party machine and the branches and finances while Turnbull works on philosophy, big picture policy and the big party donors.