The smiling leadership on the steps of Government House on Thursday betrayed the chaos that erupted in the days before.
Incoming Chief Minister Eva Lawler was surrounded by her new deputy and key ministers, portraying a unified team after being sworn into their new roles, less than 24 hours after a factional showdown nearly plunged Territory Labor into a catastrophic two-month leadership ballot.
Minutes after news broke Tuesday morning that Natasha Fyles was preparing to resign over her ownership of mining shares, calls between Labor figures began.
The first cab off the rank was deputy chief minister Nicole Manison — holidaying in Bali — who issued a statement declaring her intention to lead the territory just one hour after Ms Fyles’ announcement.
But Ms Manison is seemingly always the bridesmaid and never the bride in NT politics.
In 2022, she lost a leadership race to Ms Fyles.
In a stunning re-run this week, Ms Manison – and her Right faction — were blindsided by an alliance between right-wing Treasurer Eva Lawler and the Left’s Chansey Paech.
Ms Lawler told reporters she had been encouraged by colleagues to run.
While the Lawler-Paech alliance gained ascendancy within the caucus, it didn’t have the backing of union leaders — from both flanks of the party — who were warning MLAs against it.
Sources say both Ms Manison and another leadership aspirant, Joel Bowden, continued their campaigns.
Mr Bowden’s push for the top job was supported by left-wing union heavyweights.
It came to a head on Wednesday afternoon, when factional caucus meetings of MLAs were held.
Sources say leading into the meetings, Mr Bowden was considering nominating officially for the top job, emboldened by his supporters.
The move would’ve triggered Labor Party rules introduced under Kevin Rudd, which mandated a vote of the rank-and-file if there are two or more contenders.
It would have meant an internal leadership battle, playing out in the public eye, lasting until February.
But in yet another twist, by the time a meeting of the entire parliamentary Labor Party was held at 5pm Wednesday, the leadership was stitched up.
What could have been a nightmare caucus before Christmas lasted less than 10 minutes.
The political brinkmanship evaporated, and the all-smiles coronation of Eva Lawler began.
Voters’ concerns far removed from factional brawling
Ms Fyles’s resignation and a 24-hour period of leadership discussions was unfortunately timed.
Concerns around alcohol and crime, as well as the state of the health system, had been key concerns already taking the shine off Ms Fyles’ government.
And like everywhere else in the country, the cost of living had been stressing many territory families over Christmas.
The ABC’s election analyst, Antony Green, noted in his blog that the party already faced “a difficult re-election campaign” before last week’s events.
“And losing a Chief Minister, whatever the gravity of the transgression, is a negative for Labor, and a huge boost for [Opposition Leader] Lia Finocchiaro and the Country Liberal Party,” he said.
The crisis at the top of government gave the opposition fertile ground to portray Labor as self-concerned and divided.
“We’re going to have a government continuing with its infighting and finding its feet, rather than delivering on the key issues for Territorians,” Ms Finocchiaro after the new cabinet was sworn in.
“It’s very difficult for the public service when there’s a lack of leadership at the top and now what we’ve got is a government that’s looking like it’s going to throw the baby out with the bathwater.”
In a tacit acknowledgement that voters wouldn’t be thrilled with this week’s events, Eva Lawler’s first press conference as chief minister included several key commitments.
One was a review of the register of interests and a look into whether the NT should copy federal rules barring ministers from owning shares, to be completed as soon as possible.
She also vowed that she would look at more cost of living relief to households when she hands down her second budget next year.
And she promised to appear at a federal inquiry into the Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct, saying she wanted to convince senators it was worth potentially billions of dollars worth of commonwealth funding.
The key challenge for Territory Labor in 2024 is convincing voters it deserves a third term.
After the factional fracas it faced right before Christmas, it will be a tough ask.