The two words that could haunt Luke Foley forever

With just two words, Opposition Leader Luke Foley made a monumental mistake that could haunt him until next year's March election, as long as he makes it that far.

Foley's colleagues were left horrified (at worst) and surprised (at best) when they woke up to their leader's words on the front page of Sydney's tabloid newspaper.

The connotations of the term "white flight" could not be defended.

His intended message was not the problem. He was arguing that some suburbs in the western suburbs were struggling under the strain of population growth. Too few jobs, not enough services, little support for schools trying to teach children who do not speak a word of English.

Many of his MPs wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment.

But with the use of one phrase, apparently at the end of a 30-minute interview, he inflicted significant political damage on himself. And handed the government election ammunition.

Foley is a seasoned political operator. One of his own was quick to point that out and suggested that the hopeful premier knew exactly what he was doing in his dog-whistling politics.

Another senior Labor frontbencher said there was no doubt that Foley's MPs were "shocked, angry and genuinely disappointed", while another described it as a "monumental misstep".

"There's no doubt this will hurt in the short-term but this was his first real mistake as leader."

But that mistake was, and will continue to be, seized on by the government. The Coalition will paint Foley as a racist who does not care about migrant communities in western Sydney.

Foley waited to apologise until after a brutal question time on Thursday, when the lower house more than lived up to its name as the bear pit. The place descended into chaos.

At times it seemed as though every single Labor MP was screaming, while the government benches were not much better. The deputy speaker Thomas George bemoaned the appalling behaviour.

And a visibly angry Premier, herself the daughter of Armenia immigrants, declared she was so disgusted, that she could not bear to cast her eyes towards the Opposition benches.

As furious as Gladys Berejiklian was, along with her animated deputy John Barilaro, it was obvious to all that the government believed they had landed a brutal blow on the Opposition Leader.

Meanwhile, a stony-faced Foley sat with his head down. For now, he could not salvage the dire situation.