It’s got a lot of ground to cover before it comes to rest, that old buck.

And it’s already had a busy two years.

It’s been up hill and down dale.

When this whole thing began – with Kevin07 two years ago, as a weary nation eyed its ageing prime minister and toyed with the idea of turfing him in favour of the nerdy young challenger – there wasn’t much doubt about where the buck belonged.

It belonged with the old guy – with John Howard who, as Kevin told us, had neglected the task of reform for far too long.

And it spent some time surfing, cursing and beating up on Bernie Banton with Tony Abbott, too, the last of the Howard health ministers and the one who was obliged to buy that little hospital in Tasmania, just to make Howard’s point.

"I’m committed to ending the buck-passing on health between Canberra and the states," Kevin07 told voters in a TV advertisement on health, to the reassuring accompaniment of an acoustic guitar.

"I’ll work co-operatively with the states to get our hospitals fixed, but in the end, the buck will stop with me."

When Kevin07 was elected, though – that’s when the buck started on its giddy travels.

And it’s kept some low company, let me tell you.

It’s hung out with Nathan and the rest of the premiers out the back of COAG, cadging cigarettes from passers-by, seriously on the grift for stimulus money from the feds.

It’s hung around the emergency room at Royal North Shore Hospital for hours on end among the drunks and chronics, among the barking babies and sad-eyed mothers, triaged to the end of the queue by strung-out staff.

Don’t get me wrong: the buck’s had a bit of fancy, too.

It’s spent some time in Point Piper with the Turnbulls, taking a rest poolside and enjoying some canapes while Kevin zooms around getting his plebiscite in order.

It’s been back to the Howards’ place for a quick sherry, too, a couple of times in the past 20 months or so.