The Abbott government appears to have given up on the idea that cabinet is functioning "exceptionally well" - or at least, on telling its ministers this - according to a leaked copy of Friday's daily talking points.
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In a clear sign of the ongoing disquiet within the Abbott government, for a third day in a row the government's "morning note" has been leaked to Fairfax Media.
The morning note is prepared in the Prime Minister's office and sent to ministerial media advisers to provide to their bosses to use when speaking on political issues of the day.
On Wednesday, following embarrassing cabinet leaks to The Guardian and the Seven Network about a threadbare cabinet agenda, ministers were instructed to say "in contrast to the experiences of Rudd and Gillard governments, our cabinet is functioning exceptionally well".
"Everyone knows that under Labor, cabinet submissions were almost never lodged on time and would instead more often arrive on the day or weekend before a cabinet meeting."
Those instructions were contained in the morning note, and leaked almost immediately after government Senate Leader Eric Abetz labelled the cabinet leakers "gutless".
On Thursday, ministers were issued with almost identical lines in the morning note including the assertion that cabinet is functioning "exceptionally well".
That note was also immediately leaked.
But Friday's talking points, curiously, have omitted any reference to leaks or the Abbott cabinet.
Instead, they focus on the "jobs and growth bonanza ahead" because of the trio of free trade agreements Australia has struck with China, Japan and South Korea.
On the Chinese free trade agreement, in particular, the notes argue that "Bill Shorten is dancing to the xenophobic tune of his union masters including the CFMEU".
There are also talking points on the Adani Carmichael coal mine, including the assertion that the project will "offer 10,000 new jobs" - despite Adani's own expert, Jerome Fahrer from ACIL Allen conceding 1464 jobs would be created.
On embattled royal commissioner Dyson Heydon, the document notes that the government fully supports the commissioner and that Labor's attacks "reveal their true objective - to stop the royal commission".
A possible expanded role for Australia in the Middle East, student completion rates and the wine equalisation tax are also touched on.
Social Services Minister Scott Morrison played down the repeated leaking of talking points on Friday in an interview on Fairfax radio station 3AW.
"I mean the talking points potentially have a larger circulation than some small community newspapers. I mean they go out everywhere and here is the big shock, talking points have things in it that we are actually going to say publicly," he said, dismissing the significance of the leaks.
