It feels like only yesterday that Jo Haylen, the former state transport minister with a penchant for private cars, was dumped from her role and from Chris Minns’ cabinet. But for those with ambition, there’s always a way back home.

Let’s recap: Haylen was sacked in February after she sent a taxpayer-funded driver on a 446-kilometre, 13-hour round-trip to ferry herself, Housing Minister Rose Jackson, their partners and another couple to a Hunter Valley winery for a boozy lunch.

And as the Herald later reported, there were more trips: at least 14 trips, in fact, between Sydney and her Caves Beach holiday house (plus another winery trip).

Premier Chris Minns and former transport minister Jo Haylen. Credit: Steven Siewert

While all this was, remarkably, within the rules, punters weren’t impressed and the premier decided he couldn’t lose any more political capital. Haylen was gone, Jackson apologised and the rules were tightened.

But Haylen’s time in the political wilderness looks like it could be among the shortest on record: last month, the Summer Hill MP held a celebration to mark 10 years in parliament, with Minns in attendance. And what did he say about the MP’s future career? According to our spies in the room, Haylen’s “best days are ahead of her”, careers don’t always........

© Brisbane Times