THE SQUIZ
NSW Labor has won the magic number of at least 47 seats in the state’s 93-member lower house to win government in Saturday’s state election. Labor leaders around the country were quick to congratulate Premier-elect Chris Minns, who wasted no time yesterday diving into meetings with his senior ministers-elect. The emphatic victory ends 12 years of Coalition rule in NSW. On Saturday night, outgoing Premier Dominic Perrottet took responsibility for the result and announced he was stepping down as leader of the Liberal Party and urged NSW voters to “get behind” Minns. “I truly believe and have no doubt that he will make a fine 47th premier of NSW,” he said.

WHAT HAPPENED?
Pundits were predicting a late night of close results in key seats, but the ABC’s election expert Antony Green called it for Labor less than 2 hours into the count, and Perrottet conceded just after 9pm. There are about 10 seats considered too close to call, but from the count so far, it’s clear Labor has gained at least 9 seats from the Coalition, with Western Sydney a stand-out region. Minns attributes their success to focusing on issues around essential workers and privatisation. And he said they had greater traction with the electorate “by having candidates that were excellent on the ground, knocking on doors, speaking directly to the people in NSW and having a closer connection with the community.” Liberal strategists say they were also hampered by One Nation and Climate 200-backed efforts to unseat them even though they didn’t convert their campaigns into seats.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
The top line is that it means there is no mainland jurisdiction led by a Coalition government – Tassie is the last state standing. Some commentators say it was a classic ‘it’s time’ result, but the conversation that kicked off in earnest following the Morrison Government’s defeat last year has again focused minds on whether the Libs should go harder right or left to bring voters back onside. During Nine’s coverage on Saturday night, former Liberal premier Mike Baird agreed the party is “stuffed” while the infighting continues. As for who will take the party forward, it won’t be former Treasurer/frontrunner Matt Kean who ruled himself out yesterday. Still, the election campaign has been given rave reviews for its lack of nastiness. Yesterday, Minns said it was “perhaps uniquely, a model of respect and civility. Neither party took the low road, neither political party took the low blow,” he said. There’s always a first time for everything…