The corridors of power are echoing with growing scuttlebutt of an imminent reshuffle.

Rumours were rife through the Christmas and New Year’s period – until political trivialities were consumed by the hills holocaust – that Jay Weatherill would seek to refresh his cabinet before parliament resumes in four weeks’ time, when he intends to press the re-set button on his premiership with an agenda-setting Governor’s speech.

InDaily understands the Premier’s office has been forced to hose down inquiries from ministerial offices as the rumour-mill grinds into overdrive, with one insider claiming the current round of speculation is the most intense they can recall.

That may lead to an awkward anti-climax in the event that commonsense prevails and no major reallocation eventuates.

“I’ve heard whispers, but it’s only because it’s 12 months (since the last one),” one minister says, putting the insistent tongue-wagging down to restless natives.

“It’s just amongst the staff; I haven’t heard any ministers talking about it. They’re bored, it’s been a year …”

And a tumultuous year at that. This time 12 months ago the ministerial staff were planning long overseas sojourns and wondering how to reignite their careers, so certain were they of election defeat in March.

It’s a symbol of how profoundly things have changed that the biggest preoccupation among ALP staff is now the prospect of the Premier tweaking his frontbench.

One party insider admits there have been in-depth discussions among staffers about which ministers’ jobs might be (to use the current vernacular) re-profiled, while conceding no-one seems to know from where the scuttlebutt had emanated.

“I’m not hearing of anybody (outside cabinet) scrambling for position, so if it happens it’s likely to be a reshuffle of portfolios, rather than personnel,” the source said.

There is an “unwritten rule” in the ALP that the factions anoint MPs for cabinet, leaving the Premier to allocate portfolios, although InDaily has been told “it’s not quite as black and white as that; there are occasions when the Premier wants somebody in or out”; recently and famously, the shafting of right-wing affiliate Russell Wortley.

But bloodletting of that magnitude appears unlikely with Labor happily projecting its most united front in years.

“I’m aware of the speculation (but) if there’s a reshuffle I wouldn’t expect it to be extensive,” said one senior source.

And it wouldn’t need to be, with the Premier’s most influential offsiders – Tom Koutsantonis, Jack Snelling and John Rau – contentedly ensconced in Treasury, Health and the Attorney-General’s office, respectively.

Or as another source put it: “All the capable ministers have got the important portfolios and all the useless ones have got the unimportant ones.”

That may leave a few lower-ranking frontbenchers nervously watching their phones in coming weeks; they will, though, get a week’s respite with the man who could decide their fate off on sabbatical with his family.

In Weatherill’s absence, InDaily’s inquiry was referred to Acting Premier John Rau, who said: “There’s certainly been some speculation floating around but as far as I’m concerned there’s no reshuffle that’s been settled upon or anything else at the present time.”

Like much of Labor’s fate of late, the decision rests with Jay Weatherill, yet another sign that his position at the party’s helm in unassailable for the foreseeable future.

“In the end,” said Rau, “he’s the only man who can answer that question.”