But I don't get to say the word aloud enough because I don't know if it's pronounced a-LEG-ory or AL-a-gory.

The university-induced post-traumatic stress disorder of saying trait as "trate" when everyone else pretentiously said it was "tray" is still too real.

Regardless of how it is said, an allegory provides an anecdote where the story reveals a deeper truth - a bit like a fable.

So here is a little one.

Last weekend I summoned my inner troglodyte to start a fire on a wet, windy and wild night on the East Coast.

Trying to split logs of wood into kindling in the dark with a blockbuster is not an easy task. It requires immense focus and a steady hand. I possessed neither of those after more than one negroni and was making an absolute mess of it. Many of the swings missed or scuffed glancing blows.

Lining up one strike, the handle hit the wood first and catapulted it off the chopping block into my big toe and shin. It bloody hurt and left me bloodied and bruised.

The lesson learned was the outcome is not going to be great if you do not have a well thought through plan, are not focussed on the target and do not have the right tools for the job.

The state of politics - particularly the focus at the moment - is a bit like splitting small bits of timber with a blockbuster.

Both major parties have, in the past few weeks, taken their respective eyes off long-term strategy, reform and policy to take swings at each other with a blockbuster.

But whacking things as hard as you can does not replace having a plan and vision.

Tasmania might have the best business conditions in the country, but we are talking about being the best of some worrying trends. The Australian economy grew at its lowest rate since the global financial crisis.

A US-China trade war, record low interest rates and a looming world recession means there are tough times ahead. Among all these headwinds is the feeling that all political parties would rather take a swing at each other than work productively together.

There might not be a lot Tasmania can do to combat those events but we need a bipartisan plan.

Since their reelection, the Liberals have experienced some rocky times.

The image of Speaker Sue Hickey, having sprung one of the great blindsides against her own team, being ceremoniously dragged to the chair by Labor leader Rebecca White and Greens leader Cassy O'Connor while the Premier looks on red faced is one of the classic photographs in Tasmanian political history.

That that relationship has acrimoniously split - Labor has publicly distanced itself from the Greens and criticised Ms Hickey's payrise bid - is a relief for the government.

The Liberals can enjoy the schadenfreude, who would blame them: the sight of Labor at war with the Greens, Ms Hickey and each other is glorious for them.

But they must not forget that they are there to govern; to plan and set strategy not to wallow in Labor's terrible dysfunction.

They are there to drive a vision and an agenda not clap and cheer and point at their opponents' implosion. The trick of blaming the other mob has well and truly expired.

Labor needs to find focus also. Both the state and federal election results show it is out of touch with its traditional base.

Now it is Labor's turn with leadership speculation and party instability thanks to the resignation of Scott Bacon and reelection of Madeleine Ogilvie to fill his spot.

Ms Ogilvie returned to parliament as an independent after clashing with Labor's left on issues where she had a more conservative view.

She might well be Labor's version of Ms Hickey: someone who will go against their own party to achieve their own aims.

That's not a bad thing, necessarily, if that person judges each debate on its merits and uses their position to understand what constituents want, argue for them and get results. The risk is if it devolves into grandstanding or self-promotion.

All MPs must realise this: they are not celebrities in a blockbuster production of a different kind, they are servants of citizens.