2019 NSW Election

"I'm incredibly proud of the wonderful place in which we live. And what is most important to me is that, no matter what your background – where you live, what your circumstances – everybody in this state has the chance to be their best."

The Hon Gladys Berejiklian MP
Premier of New South Wales

Overview

On Saturday 23 March, Premier Gladys Berejiklian led the Coalition to a third term of government in NSW.

It is a historic win for two reasons: Berejiklian became the first woman to be elected Premier of NSW; and, by winning a four more years, the twelve consecutive years of Coalition government will be the longest period of non-Labor government since before the Federation. The Coalition formed a majority with 48 seats -- a two seat buffer between majority and minority government.

In her victory speech, the Premier promised to continue to deliver the projects, infrastructure and services that will reform the state. She also reflected that she was proud of NSW, “a state in which someone with a long surname – and a woman – can be the Premier”.

The election saw the primary vote of both major parties slip backwards, to the benefit of minor parties and independent candidates. The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party wrestled two western NSW seats -- Barwon and Murray -- from the Nationals. The Greens have held their three lower house seats – Ballina, Balmain and Newtown. All the three incumbent independents on the crossbench were all returned. The Legislative Assembly crossbench has expanded from seven to nine.

Labor won Coogee off the Liberals and took the northern NSW seat of Lismore from the Nationals.

Despite large swings in some seats, the Liberals and Nationals managed to hold on to the remainder of their marginal and key seats in the city and the bush. The Liberals' most at-risk seat of East Hills, which was held by a buffer of only 0.4 per cent, was won by Liberal candidate Wendy Lindsay, who looks to increase the margin.

Changing seats

Only four seats changed hands this election: Barwon, Coogee, Murray and Lismore.

Barwon - Roy Butler (SFF)

• A Country/Nationals stronghold for nearly 70 years.

• Previously held by the Nationals with margin of 12.9 per cent.

• Ongoing drought issues in the rural electorate opened the door for the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers, with the party receiving a 19.8 per cent swing towards them.

• Shooters, Fishers and Farmers candidate Roy Butler received 33.1 per cent of first preference votes, beating the National Party’s 30.2 per cent, and taking the seat.

Coogee - Marjorie O'Neill (LAB)

• The fallout from Malcom Turnbull’s axing as Prime Minister and environmental issues played a key role in Labor taking Coogee.

• The Liberal Party suffered a 4.5 per cent swing against them.

• Coogee was the only seat the Liberal Party lost.

• The Liberal Party incumbent Bruce Notley-Smith received 41.5 per cent of first preference votes, while Labor’s candidate Marjorie O'Neill received 35.0 per cent, and a strong preference flow to Labor from the Greens and other minor parties saw O'Neill successful.

Murray - Helen Dalton (SFF)

• Murray was previously held by the Nationals with a margin of 3.3% (after a by-election in 2017).

• The drought and Murray Darling Basin issues in the rural electorate opened the door for the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers.

• The popular Shooters, Fishers and Farmers' candidate Helen Dalton received 39.5 per cent of first preference votes and won the seat, beating the National Party’s 35.7 per cent.

Lismore - Janelle Saffin (LAB)

• Lismore saw a three-way contest between the Nationals, Labor and the Greens.

• The Nationals' candidate Austin Curtin received 39.9 per cent of first preference votes compared to Labor's Janelle Saffin’s 25.7 per cent; however, Saffin won after a strong preference flow from the Greens and other minor parties.

• Saffin is the former Federal Member for Page and a former Member of the NSW Legislative Council.

The Legislative Council

A wide range of minor parties look set to win seats in the NSW Legislative Council (known as the 'Upper House') after last Saturday’s election. Counting will take two more weeks, with many unknowns still to be resolved.

In the last Parliament, the Coalition held 20 of the 42 seats in the Upper House, allowing it to pass legislation with the support of the two members of Fred Nile’s Christian Democratic party (CDP). The Greens had five seats, the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers had two and the Animal Justice Party held one.

In 2019, the Coalition inevitably lost ground, defending 11 existing seats, but only winning a vote sufficient to elect only seven, maybe eight, members. Labor has won six seats, up from the five, and could win a seventh. The Greens have won two seats, and the Shooters one. Neither the Greens, nor the Shooters appear to have a chance of gaining another seat. Mark Latham’s One Nation ticket has won at least one seat, with a chance of a second.

There are four seats still in play.

The competition between the final four seats is between the seventh Labor candidate, the second One Nation candidate, current CDP member Paul Green, the former federal Liberal Democrat Senator David Leyonhjelm, Animal Justice, Keep Sydney Open and Sustainable Australia.

The 57th Parliament will be more difficult for the Government as it tries to pass legislation through the Upper House. The Coalition will need to rely on the votes of the conservative minor parties in order to pass legislation through the Upper House.

The final count will be announced on 12 April.

NSW Cabinet

Today, the Premier and Deputy Premier John Barilaro announced their new, expanded Cabinet. Prior to today, the Premier indicated her desire for a "mix of experienced and new blood."

Four ministers from the 56th Parliament announced their decision to leave Cabinet before the reshuffle -- former Deputy Nationals Leader Niall Blair, former Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton, former Disabilities Minster Ray Williams and former Minister for Mental Health Tanya Davies. Former Police Minister Troy Grant and former Families Minister Pru Goward retired from the Parliament at the last election.

While the senior ranks of the Cabinet have largely stayed the same, the Premier has created numerous new portfolios unseen before -- including the Minister for Customer Service, the Minister for Regional Youth and the Minister for Public Spaces. The Cabinet has also been expanded from 23 to 24 members.

Incoming Cabinet members from the backbench are Illawarra MP Gareth Ward, Upper House Nationals MLC Bronnie Taylor, former Speaker Shelley Hancock, Western Sydney MPs John Sidoti and Geoff Lee, Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson, and former Member for Epping, now Upper House member Damien Tudehope.

Member for Davidson Jonathan O'Dea steps into Shelley Hancock's shoes as the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and the Hon John Ajaka MLC remains the President of the Legislative Council.

Find the full Cabinet list below.

Gladys Berejiklian

Premier of NSW

John Barilaro

Deputy Premier
Minister for Regional New South Wales
Minister for Industry and Trade

Dominic Perrottet

Treasurer

Paul Toole

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads

Don Harwin

Special Minister of State
Minister for the Public Service and Employee Relations
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
Minister for the Arts
Vice-President of the Executive Council
Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council

Andrew Constance

Minister for Transport and Roads
Leader of the House

Brad Hazzard

Minister for Health and Medical Research

Rob Stokes

Minister for Planning
Minister for Public Spaces

Mark Speakman

Attorney General
Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence

Victor Dominello

Minister for Customer Service

Sarah Mitchell

Minister for Education
Minister for Early Childhood Education

David Elliott

Minister for Police
Minister for Emergency Services

Melinda Pavey

Minister for Water
Minister for Property and Housing

Stuart Ayres

Minister for Jobs
Minister for Investment
Minister for Tourism
Minister for Western Sydney

Matt Kean

Minister for Energy
Minister for the Environment

Adam Marshall

Minister for Agriculture
Minister for Western New South Wales

Anthony Roberts

Minister for Counter Terrorism
Minister for Corrections

Shelley Hancock

Minister for Local Government

Kevin Anderson

Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation

Geoff Lee

Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education

John Sidoti

Minister for Sport
Minister for Multiculturalism
Minister for Seniors and Veterans

Bronnie Taylor

Minister for Mental Health
Minister for Regional Youth
Minister for Women

Gareth Ward

Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services

Damien Tudehope

Minister for Finance
Minister for Small Business