The NSW election results are in. Labor has swept to power in the state, claiming the 47 seats necessary to form a majority government.
The win sees the Coalition government wiped out across the continent at both the federal and state and territory level. Tasmania is now the only state the Coalition retains.
“There will be a change in government,” said ABC election analyst Antony Green.
Labor Leader Chris Minns will become the 47th Premier of NSW.
Dominic Perrottet, leader of the Coalition and Premier of NSW from 2021 following the resignation of Gladys Berejiklian, called Minns to congratulate him on the win and announced that he will resign as leader of the Liberal-National coalition.
“The great people of NSW tonight have decided to elect a Labor government in this state, and that is a decision that we respect,” Perrottet said.
“Elections can get ugly, but I believe this election was truly a race to the top. A genuine battle of ideas, and that’s when politics is at its best.
“In many ways that is due to Chris Minns and the way he has carried himself throughout this campaign. I have no doubt he will make a fine 47th premier of NSW.”
Perrottet appears to have just hung on to his own seat of Epping by a 2.8% margin.
Polls closed on the eve of the election at 6pm Saturday. Green called the election for Labor at 8:42pm.
Pre-election polling suggested that the state was on track for a hung parliament, with Labor governing in a minority. However, that polling has been proven to be incorrect.
Although the NSW election results are still coming in, most seats have been called. Labor needed a 4.7% swing to claim a minority government and a 7.2% swing has been reported, giving them more than enough to claim victory.
Major swings were recorded in some seats toward Labor. The electorate of Bega has seen an 18% swing towards Labor, Camden swung by 10.6% to hand it to Labor from the Liberals, and Paramatta changed hands to Labor after a 15.7% swing. The seat of Terrigal, which the Liberals held by 12.3%, swung 14.2% to Labor.
The Greens have retained the seats of Newtown, Ballina, and Balmain, although the latter came very close after an 8.3% swing to Labor.
It looks as though the teal independents have not done as well as predicted, although non-teal independent Larissa Penn took Berejiklian’s old seat of Willoughby after a massive swing of 22%. So far, no Climate 200-backed candidate has been elected, although Jacqui Scruby has come very close following a major 22.6% swing against Liberal Rory Amon.
All three former Shooters, Fishers and Farmers, who left the party to become independents, have kept their seats.
The Nationals have so far retained nine of their 10 seats, losing the seat of Monaro.
More to come.
Related: How Labor Wants to Change Your Super
Related: Who the Heck Is NSW Labor’s Chris Minns?
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