Coalition chaos: volume of chaos turned up to 11

The Prime Minister might be seen as the subject of one of Sir David Attenborough’s documentaries. Picture: BBC

Two weeks ago my column in The Weekend Australian invoked the traditional killing season of parliament to suggest Malcolm Turnbull would be greatly relieved to reach the sanctuary of Christmas. In a crude analogy, I borrowed from David Attenborough’s documentaries to picture the Prime Minister as a wildebeest trying to cross a crocodile infested river.

Today the High Court has taken a chunk out of Turnbull’s hind leg and he is bleeding in the water. Christmas looks a long way away.

My argument a fortnight ago centred on the many hurdles and political problems confronting the Prime Minister, especially the energy policy conundrum, but including the dual citizenship shambles, poor polling and the gay marriage debate.

This week has seen the volume of chaos in national affairs turned up to 11 (to borrow from Spinal Tap). The Australian Workers’ Union raids and the way Employment Minister Michaelia Cash shot herself in the foot saw the government lose control of the political agenda in Canberra and surrender the moral authority in parliament.

It limped into today in very poor shape, even though the judgement of the High Court was always going to present another onslaught of difficulties. The result could hardly have been worse. One former minister (ironically, the only one who had stood aside during the case), Matt Canavan, has survived. But the Nationals Leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce, is out, as is his Deputy Leader, Fiona Nash.

The Coalition is forced into what is technically a minority government situation for a few weeks, presuming Joyce can win his by-election on December 2. But the sense of utter turmoil is overwhelming and Labor’s management of political tactics and campaigning over recent months suggests they will be adept at maximising this discomfort in coming weeks.

Turnbull is weakened by his own words and actions — he confidently predicted the High Court would not rule Joyce ineligible and declined to have him or Nash stand aside from cabinet. His judgment has been rebuffed by the highest court in the land.

The Prime Minister is due to fly overseas today. He now faces an hour by hour, day by day struggle to convey a sense of authority, stability and progress from the helm of the national government.

A fortnight ago senior government players and other commentators suggested I was overstating the crisis confronting Turnbull. Right now, for Turnbull, the refuge of Christmas must look too far away, and the waters around him full of peril.