It was barely three hours into the count on the 25 March before pollsters predicted Labor were on track to win the NSW State Election with a decisive majority.
In the following days, it became apparent that the swings towards Labor on election night were the result of a last-minute surge in popularity, occurring too late in the campaign to be reflected in the pre-poll and postal votes.
Over the next ten days, Labor’s lead dwindled, as did their hopes for a majority government.
Nonetheless as the party with most representatives in the parliament, Labor’s Chris Minns was sworn in as the State’s 47th Premier.
With three crossbenchers guaranteeing supply and confidence, Premier Minns has succeeded Dominic Perrottet after three terms (12 years) of Liberal-National Coalition rule.
Needing 47 seats to claim a majority, Labor finished on 45 with the Coalition on 36, with three seats retained by Greens and nine going to independents.
The Greens have held their three incumbent seats of Balmain, Ballina, and Newtown, while former Shooters, Fishers, and Farmers MPs Phil Donato (Orange), Roy Butler (Barwon) and Helen Dalton (Murray) retained their Lower House seats as independents.
Independent crossbenchers Joe McGirr (Wagga Wagga), Alex Greenwich (Sydney) and Greg Piper (Lake Macquarie) also retained their seats.
Liberal turned independent, Gareth Ward, also won his seat of Kiama.
Predictions of a strong Teal independent surge reminiscent of the Federal Election did not eventuate.
Climate 200-backed candidate in Wollondilly, Judy Hannan, snatched the south-west Sydney seat from Liberal Nathaniel Smith, and Independent former Northern Beaches Council Mayor Michael Regan has taken Wakehurst from the Liberals.
Minns’ cabinet, the 100th Ministry in NSW, was sworn in, and for the first time in the state’s history, women will make up fifty percent of the Ministry.
The Liberals will begin their rebuild by electing a new leader after former Premier Dominic Perrottet resigned as the Liberal’s leader after conceding.
Former Treasurer and moderate faction leader Matt Kean declined to stand for the role. Alistair Henskens, Anthony Roberts and Mark Speakman have been floated as potentials but are still to announce if they will run. Mulgoa MP Tanya Davies has put her hand up for the position of Deputy Leader.
