EDITORIAL: Two ministers breaking ranks spells trouble for Chief

One minister breaking ranks is unusual enough, but two on consecutive days means danger for a Chief Minister who is looking uncharacteristically vulnerable.

ONE Minister breaking ranks and pinning an unpopular decision on the Chief Minister is an unusual event.

Two ministers making destabilising comments the Chief Minister’s standing signals trouble.

And two ministers sticking their necks out in the space on consecutive days hints at a deep unhappiness among colleagues of the Chief Minister.

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So it went when Eva Lawler and Natasha Fyles seemingly went for the one-two punch on Michael Gunner on Wednesday and Thursday this week.

The first was calling out that Territory Day being held during the height of the dry was a captain’s call by the Chief himself.

The decision has gone down like a lead balloon with volunteer fireys, bushfire experts and the public at large.

The second was outing Gunner as the man who underarmed the grandstand submission into cabinet, in the aftermath of a deeply damaging ICAC report.

No matter how much the government hopes the Turf Club saga will go away, it isn’t now.

Either of those would be damaging revelations in isolation, but both at once leaves Gunner wounded.

Perhaps a move to knife the Chief Minister isn’t ready just yet, but the events of the past few days have shown things can quickly change in the world of politics.

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