Tony Abbott looked a fool this morning, scrambling away from the rotting carcass of political donation reform despite signing up to the proposal — in writing — just a week ago.

But the Opposition Leader did what we’re always asking politicians to do: he listened to public opinion and was honest about changing his mind.

Which is more than you can say for Labor. It drafted this dog of a bill — leaving gaping holes in the disclosure laws while funnelling $60 million into party coffers for compliance — for Parliament, secured the support of Abbott in a grubby bit of bipartisan politicking, and emerges from the whole mess looking less deserving of being in power than at any point in the last two and a bit years.

This morning Labor demonstrated its remarkable ability to get stuff done by signing the ACT up to its Gonski education funding package. It will be forgotten, once again, in a mire of self-serving incompetence.