Barry O'Farrell was quick to rule out a ministerial reshuffle any time soon on the anniversary of his first year in office.
Barely a month later, though, circumstances have forced changes within his own office that are proving almost as controversial - and perhaps offer some insight into the government's mindset.

After the scandal surrounding the Star casino forced the resignation of the Premier's chief media adviser Peter Grimshaw, his replacement has been announced as Lisa Mullins, who was previously with the office of the Transport Minister, Gladys Berejiklian.

An experienced government aide and former political journalist, Mullins clearly was appointed on merit as one of the government's most capable media strategists.
That has not stopped the knives from being unsheathed by some within government ranks, who have been openly expressing their dismay at the announcement.
The chief complaint is that Mullins once worked for one of the former Labor government's most demonised MPs, Joe Tripodi, before joining the O'Farrell government last year.

In the view of some, it has effectively put an end to the government's ability to taunt Labor about Tripodi, which has been a favourite question time tactic.
There is also some disquiet about the message that may be sent to the public, given that her husband, Paul Mullins, is a lobbyist registered with the NSW Parliament.
Among his clients are the Australian Hotels Association and the Australian Turf Club. He will be responsible for pushing their commercial agendas to government ministers.

The fact is that neither of these complaints is overly serious. Mullins is a professional who will be well aware of the importance of keeping her husband's business interests away from her new role.

But they are interesting in that they convey an increasing willingness on the part of government MPs and staff to openly criticise some of the decisions being made at the top.

The decision not to pursue a full power privatisation, the damaging casino scandal and its headlines suggesting O'Farrell planned to ''smash'' the Star, and the backlash over the decision to oppose a second Sydney airport have knocked a lot of gloss off the Premier.

Justified or not, the dominant narrative that has emerged from his first year in power is that of an overly cautious, ''do nothing'' Premier. It is making more than a few members of the backbench somewhat anxious.

It may also offer a clue as to the reason for the other change in the Premier's office - the appointment of Mark Tobin, an ABC radio journalist who was president of the NSW press gallery, as a media adviser.

The point is not that yet another political journalist has seen fit to take a government job; it is that it represents an expansion of the Premier's media team.

O'Farrell now has five media advisers in his office - more than his predecessor as premier, Kristina Keneally, whom he spent most of his time in opposition accusing of being spin-obsessed.

On Thursday, we got a taste of how the new office might work.

The Premier was suddenly offered up to the press gallery for a ''doorstop'' to criticise a judge's decision to grant bail to a bikie accused of setting fire to a police van - just in time for the evening television news bulletins.

It is true the government has taken something of a battering of late, including over its response to gun violence.

But if this is its response, it is a worrying sign for a government elected on a promise to ''end the spin'' in NSW politics.