Analysis: Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s sacking spree an admission Labor in strife

IN just 78 carefully selected words Michael Gunner tried to address two of the most persistent criticisms of his chief ministership

Michael Gunner, right, will hope dumping his powerful Chief of Staff Alf Leonardi will allow for a reset before his team settles in for a year-long election campaign slog, writes HAYLEY SORENSEN

AT just 78 words, Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s statement on his decision to bump off his number one political ally wasn’t a long one.

But in those carefully selected 78 words he addressed the two most persistent criticisms of his chief ministership — that he was little more than a puppet for a regimen run behind the scenes by his powerful chief of staff Alf Leonardi, and that his team of lifelong Labor acolytes were the same old hacks regurgitating the same tired ideas of past administrations.

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Mr Gunner will hope dumping Mr Leonardi and distancing himself from his joint chiefs of staff Kieran Phillips and Helen Nezeritis will allow for a reset before his team settles in for a year-long campaign slog.

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It’s also a powerful admission that without a drastic change in direction, things aren’t looking good for Labor’s chances of forming a majority government next year.

In emphasising incoming chief of staff Emily Beresford-Cane’s “extensive private sector experience”, the Chief Minister wants to neutralise criticism that he and his team lack real world experience.

Ms Beresford-Cane comes highly regarded with a reputation as a fixer, more concerned with policy than politics.

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Mr Gunner had no praise or thanks for Mr Leonardi’s years of service in those 78 words — only an acknowledgment that he had made the decision to sack him with the goal of “focusing on Territorians” in mind.

Politics is a rough game but it was a particularly cold way to end a four-year political marriage.

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But will it end up being the wake-up call that was needed?