Like most they were interested to see what sort of pomp the NT could bring to such an event.

Katherine Mayor Fay Miller was there with the other mayors, a standout in her red robes, comfortable in these surroundings.

There was the national anthem, sung from the media gallery, although by an invited choir, not the journalists themselves.

An Indigenous welcome to country, a prayer for our leaders from Rev. Charles Gauchi followed by a noisy blessing from a pair of energetic Chinese  lions.

That was enough, opening over, time for morning tea.

This is a time of austerity, the government being broke and all, but there was a little bit more on offer than Ritz crackers and cheese.

Then farewell to the guests and bored school kids, back into the business of government, or who should be in government.

Katherine's seniors said they were also interested to see the lead actors in the Christmas soap opera, The boy who would be king.

After Chief Minister Michael Gunner scuttled off on a premature vacation last year to let the Territory digest the news the Treasury was skint, the knives have been out.

Mid-term, Liberal or Labor, politicians love power plays.

Ask Malcolm Turnbull.

In our case it was the Primary Industries Minister and one of best ever cricketers, Ken Vowles, who took the long run up.

Enter stage left straight from the airport from NZ, it is Mr Gunner, who blocked the yorker and chucked Vowles off the team.

A couple of other bit players were sent into the wilderness as well.

But for how long?

Hence our seniors were keen to try and read the body language, experienced as they are at such matters.

Will they shake hands?

Who is Vowles talking to?

Opposition leader Gary Higgins came across the assembly chamber to shake Gunner's hand and wish him well before the battle is rejoined.

We earlier asked former seniors president George Thompson what he made of it all.

He just shook his head and said:

"Make sure you note down they don't have disabled access here at Parliament."

George and at least one other were trundling their walkers along, and could not find a ramp.

Pretty poor for the NT's number one public building.

As for the politics, sadly he has seen it all before.

The numbers are telling in this game of Chinese checkers.

Mr Gunner's ALP swept the loathed Giles CLP aside to take a stranglehold on not just this term but the next as well.

Still, the ALP has 557 days until the next election to stuff it up.

The independents are jockeying to be the opposition, and have their desks upgraded. They number six against the Opposition forces of two, that's right, two. Makes for an interesting democracy.

Mr Gunner and his advisers have 17 in the house, he can easily afford to let challengers like Vowles  and Co. go.

Mr Higgins says Gunner has to stop making spending announcements and focus on savings.

It's not true that Mr Gunner hasn't made any savings announcements - after the Vowles-induced reshuffle, he directed there was to be no changing of Ministerial letterheads, that should save a few bucks.

These are only petty side games after all, the NT is languishing post-Inpex and nowhere quite knows when we are going to hit bottom.

Perhaps then we can find some dollars to build George's ramp.

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