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Chris Minns sworn in as NSW premier while Labor remains short of a majority after election Chris Minns sworn in as NSW premier as Labor majority appears more unlikely after election
(about 2 hours later)
Party remains two seats short of governing in its own right as three crossbenchers promise supplyParty remains two seats short of governing in its own right as three crossbenchers promise supply
Chris Minns has vowed to “hit the ground running” after being sworn in as the 47th premier of New South Wales alongside his interim cabinet on Tuesday morning. Labor is unlikely to form majority government in New South Wales, after three further seats were called for the Liberals on Tuesday.
He has become the state’s first Labor premier in 12 years, but it remains unclear if he will be able to form a majority government with the results in key seats yet to be determined. The party is expected to lose in other tight races in the coming days. Failing to reach 47 seats could impact Chris Minns’s agenda, and he may need to work with crossbenchers to govern.
“We know this is a big responsibility and we can’t wait for those responsibilities of office,” Minns said shortly after becoming premier. While election analysts, including the ABC’s Antony Green, said otherwise, the newly sworn-in premier remained confident he would be able to form a majority or fall just one seat shy.
The deputy premier, Prue Car, said it was an honour to be sworn in. “We have had fruitful discussions with the crossbench … consistent with the principle that we took into the election that we would not be horse-trading,” Minns said on Tuesday.
“We know that there are seats still yet to be determined but what we do know is the people of NSW sent us a clear message on Saturday,” she said. “That’s consistent with my promise at the election campaign that if we were in minority and minor parties and the crossbench were prepared to support Labor, we were happy to accept their support but we wouldn’t be doing any horse trading.”
“They want us to get straight to work on some really important challenges for NSW ahead and we’re ready for those challenges and to get to work straight away.” Minns’s interim cabinet of eight ministers was sworn in on Tuesday morning.
Initial priorities for the government include addressing fish kills at Menindee, flood recovery, hospitals and transport issues including recent delays on Sydney’s rail network. Initial priorities for the government include addressing fish kills at Menindeeand transport issues including recent delays on Sydney’s rail network.
The premier and the new health minister, Ryan Park, visited Liverpool hospital on Tuesday afternoon to announce a surgical care taskforce that would look at the elective surgery waitlist.
Park also announced he would be visiting a hospital unannounced each week to get a handle on the situation on the ground, insisting he was “not interested in chastising” doctors and nurses doing the best they could.
Chris Minns is the NSW premier. pic.twitter.com/vttC9s12zXChris Minns is the NSW premier. pic.twitter.com/vttC9s12zX
As counting continued after Saturday’s election, Labor remained two seats short of the 47 needed to form a majority government and the Liberals looked set to claim the seat of Pittwater, where they had been in a neck-and neck contest with independent Jacqui Scruby. Labor’s seat count remained at 45 on Tuesday, with 65% of the vote counted. The Coalition had claimed 31, including Drummoyne, Oatley and Pittwater.
If Labor fails to pick up two more seats, Minns and his team will be forced to bargain with the crossbench on key policies. Former Liberal turned independent Gareth Ward was just ahead of Labor in Kiama and Liberals candidates were ahead in Terrigal, Miranda, Holsworthy and Goulburn.
Liberal candidates have taken the lead in Goulburn, Terrigal, Winston Hills, Holsworthy and Miranda. Labor’s lead in Kiama has also slipped, with independent Gareth Ward likely to win the seat.
“All the inside information I have says that Gareth Ward will win Kiama so Labor can’t reach a majority,” the ABC’s chief election analyst, Antony Green, wrote on Twitter on Monday night.“All the inside information I have says that Gareth Ward will win Kiama so Labor can’t reach a majority,” the ABC’s chief election analyst, Antony Green, wrote on Twitter on Monday night.
Ward was a senior Liberal before he was dumped from the party and suspended from parliament last year after being charged with historical rape and indecent assault offences. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.Ward was a senior Liberal before he was dumped from the party and suspended from parliament last year after being charged with historical rape and indecent assault offences. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Labor and the Coalition have insisted his suspension from parliament would continue if he was re-elected pending the outcome of his criminal case.
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Re-elected independents Alex Greenwich, Joe McGirr and Greg Piper have confirmed they will offer confidence and supply to the new government if Labor fails to win 47 seats. Re-elected independents Alex Greenwich, Joe McGirr and Greg Piper have confirmed they will offer confidence and supply to the new government in the case of minory government.
“[We] look forward to a strong and consultative working relationship with premier-elect Chris Minns and his team,” they said in a joint statement.
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“[We] look forward to a strong and consultative working relationship with premier-elect Chris Minns and his team,” they said in a joint statement.
Greens MP Jenny Leong said the Greens would work with the crossbench and Labor to progress the party’s agenda of stronger rental and environmental policies.Greens MP Jenny Leong said the Greens would work with the crossbench and Labor to progress the party’s agenda of stronger rental and environmental policies.
“We are very committed to working with the new parliament to make sure that we’re delivering on the reforms that we need to see,” she said. “What’s very clear from this result – and the numbers are tightening day by day – is that it’s not a winner takes all [in] this parliament [and] what we’re looking at here is a historically large crossbench,” she said.
“What’s very clear from this result – and the numbers are tightening day by day – is that it’s not a winner takes all [in] this parliament [and] what we’re looking at here is a historically large crossbench.”
Balmain has been claimed by the Greens candidate, Kobi Shetty, after Labor’s Philippa Scott conceded on Monday.Balmain has been claimed by the Greens candidate, Kobi Shetty, after Labor’s Philippa Scott conceded on Monday.
Shetty said the win was historic for her party because if was the first time they had been able to hold on to a seat after the resignation of a Greens MP.Shetty said the win was historic for her party because if was the first time they had been able to hold on to a seat after the resignation of a Greens MP.
“It is an incredibly exciting win for the Greens in this state,” she said outside parliament on Tuesday morning.
Scott said she was proud of the campaign and the 8% swing towards Labor in the seat after the retirement of Greens MP Jamie Parker.
The Liberal leadership also remained unresolved on Tuesday. Former ministers Anthony Roberts, Mark Speakman and Alister Henskens remain in contention after Dominic Perrottet resigned as leader and former treasurer Matt Kean ruled himself out.The Liberal leadership also remained unresolved on Tuesday. Former ministers Anthony Roberts, Mark Speakman and Alister Henskens remain in contention after Dominic Perrottet resigned as leader and former treasurer Matt Kean ruled himself out.
The re-elected Mulgoa MP, Tanya Davies, has nominated herself for the deputy Liberal leader spot.
She pointed to the swing away from her party in western Sydney as a sign they needed to do more for families and small businesses and govern with compassion.
“Therefore I have decided that I can offer the leadership and representation that the people of Western Sydney and NSW more broadly demand,” she said.
“Western Sydney is the engine room of the NSW economy and it is critical that the Liberal Party has a spokesperson that can truly champion its people and their aspirations.”
Last year Davies spoke at an anti-vaccination rally outside parliament house