Government crumbling into chaos over Parry affair: Michelle Grattan.

The Turnbull Government has become like a plane with its engines stalled, hurtling groundwards, with hopes of repowering frustrated at every turn, writes Michelle Grattan.

The sudden exit from Parliament of Senate president Stephen Parry has turned into a toxic blame game, in a further sign of a Government crumbling into chaos.

Malcolm Turnbull and deputy Senate leader Mathias Cormann lashed out at Mr Parry for not publicly revealing earlier his probable British dual citizenship, confirmed this week.

Then — oops. It turns out Mr Parry had shared his circumstances with some senior colleagues.

Unsettled by the odium now flowing in his direction, Mr Parry has revealed that when the Nationals’ Fiona Nash in August announced she’d been informed she was a British citizen by descent, he realised he likely was as well. He spoke to “various ministers”.

MORE: Grattan on Friday: Turnbull Government reels from new twist in the Stephen Parry affair – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)