Jeff Kennett is right. Michael Kroger should get out of the counting house and into the bear pit.

The former Victorian premier baited his state factional foe yesterday when asked if Kroger should contest the Higgins by-election. “I personally would love to see Michael in there,” Kennett said. “I’ve been wanting to see Michael put into practice what he’s preached for a long time. But I suspect Michael won’t stand. I think Michael likes trying to influence outcomes from the side.”

It’s a typical tease from Jeffrey, but Kroger’s comments from the side show a great deal of sense.

Kroger makes his comments from the side because he is an insightful and incisive observer of politics.

Perhaps, most important for a party just tipped into opposition after 11 years, Kroger knows the Liberal machine. He is a former president of the party in Victoria; a reformist party president.

A reformist party president whose most significant reform was to increase the power of the party executive in selecting parliamentary candidates, vital to the renewal of the party.

Kroger is just the right age for politics – the same age as the Prime Minister.

He is successful, self made, knows the Liberal machine, is not afraid to be ruthless and – best of all – untainted by association with the Howard government.

Why doesn’t he run in his old mate’s seat?