Smiling broadly, Robyn Parker sashayed into a three-hour grilling over her handling of a toxic chemical leak looking like her intensive media training was about to pay off.

Few shared the NSW Environment Minister’s confidence. Shadow environment minister Luke Foley – Labor’s most artful attack dog – has had the scent of ministerial blood in his nostrils for three months. A “gotcha" moment was almost expected from the gaffe-prone minister.