Malcolm Turnbull was elected to the highest office in the land a mere seven months ago, promising an end to the disarray and lack of direction of the previous two years, and a clear agenda for progress and growth that would unite the country behind him.

Following a brief and promising few months, Turnbull has turned out to be another in a line of disappointing prime ministers. He has been unable to articulate a clear vision for the country, or set an effective policy course. Nor does he have control over, or the confidence of, his party. What was promised to be an end to our political instability has become yet another episode of sleazy deals and corner-cutting.

Australia’s systemic political crisis remains unresolved, and is now in its 10th year. Many people offer solutions to this conundrum: a shift in federal-state relations, a change in the way parties select MPs, Senate and House reform, political donations funding, and much more.

Here at Crikey we believe that such suggestions miss the main point. We believe there is only one act that can heal our national wounds and return us to national greatness.

We believe it is time for the return of Tony Abbott.

It is now clear to us that there is a role for Tony Abbott on the frontbench — and that role is as prime minister. The past four months have made clear that the Liberal Party, and the mainstream media that bullied it relentlessly, made a major error in deposing Abbott, whose 23-month epoch was, in retrospect, a golden age for our Commonwealth.

Abbott, returned to power, would not only bring the commanding authority of his first year and most-of-another-year in power, but an additional maturity and quiet reflectiveness honed in the calm and dignified silence he adopted after he was deposed by Fairfax, the ABC, Gillian Triggs, transgender year 11 students, the Greens, the UN and Malcolm Turnbull.

We believe the nation will be better served when Turnbull has left the Lodge and Tony Abbott has returned to the single room in the police college all-male barracks he occupies when in power. We believe that this is the best option for our country in the current circumstances.

And if you doubt our sincerity, we invite you to consider the alternatives.