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Gladys Berejiklian to be NSW premier after unopposed election as Liberal leader Gladys Berejiklian to be NSW premier after unopposed election as Liberal leader
(about 1 hour later)
Gladys Berejiklian will become New South Wales’ 45th premier after being elected unopposed as the leader of the Liberal party.Gladys Berejiklian will become New South Wales’ 45th premier after being elected unopposed as the leader of the Liberal party.
As expected the Liberal party room chose Berejiklian as its leader, with the finance minister, Dominic Perrottet, her deputy, on Monday morning. The meeting lasted less than 15 minutes. As expected on Monday morning, the Liberal party room chose Berejiklian as its leader, with the finance minister, Dominic Perrottet, her deputy. The meeting lasted less than 15 minutes.
Berejiklian, formerly the NSW treasurer, was widely tipped to have the numbers, and her two likely competitors, Rob Stokes and Andrew Constance, pulled out of the race on Friday. She was expected to be sworn in later on Monday at a ceremony at NSW’s Government House. Berejiklian, formerly the state’s treasurer, was widely tipped to have the numbers, and her two likely competitors, Rob Stokes and Andrew Constance, pulled out of the race on Friday. She was expected to be sworn in later on Monday at a ceremony at Government House.
Berejiklian will face immediate challenges. Her Nationals counterparts, led by John Barilaro, have already vowed to stop council amalgamations and Berejiklian will be forced to take on Baird’s controversial polices on lockout laws, WestConnex and the reversal of the greyhound ban. She will face immediate challenges. Her Nationals counterparts, led by John Barilaro, have already vowed to stop council amalgamations and Berejiklian will be forced to take on her predecessor Mike Baird’s controversial polices on lockout laws, WestConnex and the reversal of the greyhound ban.
Berejiklian, speaking immediately after the vote, said she would sit down with Barilaro on Monday afternoon to discuss council amalgamations. Berejiklian, speaking to 2GB radio immediately after the vote, said she would sit down with Barilaro on Monday afternoon to discuss council amalgamations. She had met with him on Sunday.
“I do appreciate what sections of the community are saying to us in that regard and also what our colleagues are saying to us,” she told 2GB radio. “I do appreciate what sections of the community are saying to us in that regard and also what our colleagues are saying to us,” she said.
Berejiklian said she would take about a week to decide her cabinet. She said she would push ahead with the reversal of the greyhound ban and would not seek to soften the government’s approach to law and order, describing NSW’s bail laws as some of the toughest in the state. Berejiklian said she would take about a week to decide her cabinet.
She would not be drawn on the fate of health minister, Jillian Skinner, who faced controversy for the baby gassing tragedy and chemotherapy under-dosing in NSW hospitals.
But Berejiklian confirmed Perrottet would be treasurer, despite Barilaro reportedly wanting the job.
“Yesterday, when Mr Barilaro and his deputy and myself and my prospective deputy met, I can confirm that Mr Barilaro congratulated Dom on Dom assuming the treasurer’s role,” she said.
Berejiklian used her first media conference as leader to prioritise local issues. She said she wanted to ensure success was spread across the state, and pledged to make local infrastructure a priority.
“I know what difference it is to a community if a dirt road becomes a bitumen road,” she said.
Housing affordability was also listed as a priority, although, when asked how she would reduce house prices, Berejiklian largely spoke of supply-side measures already taken by the government.
She said a number of new initiatives would be announced in the “near future”. “I believe supply is the best way we can address housing affordability,” she said. “I am someone who will listen and someone who has an open mind. I strongly believe supply is the best way to address housing affordability.”
She said she would push ahead with the reversal of the greyhound ban and would not seek to soften the government’s approach to law and order, describing NSW bail laws as some of the toughest in the state.
Berejiklian stressed that the change in leadership did not mean that all the government’s policies would be changed.
“I want to make very clear, there is so much to be proud of in New South Wales, so much that our government has done well and to suggest that everything is up for grabs, it wouldn’t be an accurate description,” she said. “But to suggest that I will listen on issues which obviously are causing angst for people, of course I will do that.”
Berejiklian was born in Sydney to Armenian parents and spoke no English when she started primary school.Berejiklian was born in Sydney to Armenian parents and spoke no English when she started primary school.
“My family are just overwhelmed and so proud,” Berejiklian said. “My dad was a boilermaker, my mother was a nurse ... They gave up a lot and kept reminding my sisters and I every week, ‘You girls don’t know how lucky you are.’ “My family are just overwhelmed and so proud,” Berejiklian told 2GB. “My dad was a boilermaker, my mother was a nurse … They gave up a lot and kept reminding my sisters and I every week, ‘You girls don’t know how lucky you are.’
“And I think today they feel vindicated in the way they raised us as kids.”“And I think today they feel vindicated in the way they raised us as kids.”
Berejiklian has six years’ experience in the ministry in the transport and treasury portfolios. She pledged to make her own mark on the role of premier and said one of the key challenges was ensuring success was spread across all areas of the state.Berejiklian has six years’ experience in the ministry in the transport and treasury portfolios. She pledged to make her own mark on the role of premier and said one of the key challenges was ensuring success was spread across all areas of the state.
“What I would like to do, how I would like to make my mark, is to make sure that every corner of NSW gets its fair share,” she said. “We are in a very strong position, we need to make sure that everybody shares in the benefits of that.”“What I would like to do, how I would like to make my mark, is to make sure that every corner of NSW gets its fair share,” she said. “We are in a very strong position, we need to make sure that everybody shares in the benefits of that.”