NSW live election results 2023: Dominic Perrottet and Chris Minns fight to be state’s next Premier
The sad election night reality for the Liberal Party has been exposed in a single picture, with Dominic Perrottet conceding defeat to Chris Minns.
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Pictures taken from inside the Liberal Party room have revealed the sad reality of a Liberal Party election loss.
NCA NewsWire pictures taken at 8.30pm show just a handful of supporters in the room in Sydney’s CBD.
The photographs came as Sky News, Nine News and the ABC called the election.
By Saturday night, Labor had won 47 seats, with 50 per cent of the vote counted. It’s predicted they could win a total of 50 seats. The Coalition suffered a major bloodbath, losing 19 seats. It’s predicted they could win a total of 31 electorates, with counting to resume on Monday.
Just before 9pm, it was confirmed that Mr Perrottet had called Opposition Leader Chris Minns to concede defeat.
The empty ballroom at the Hilton Hotel in Sydney began to fill up later in the evening before Mr Perrottet stepped down as Liberal Leader.
Quiet at Liberal Party campaign HQ as first numbers roll in. Are we waiting for a party or an autopsy? #NSWvotespic.twitter.com/a9oqJ8tA15
— Lachlan Leeming (@LeemingLachie) March 25, 2023
Perrottet stands down as Opposition leader
Making his speech to party faithfuls, a downcast Mr Perrottet confirmed he would be standing down as the leader of the Liberal party.
“As leader of the parliamentary Liberal Party, I take full responsibility for the loss this evening, and, as a result I will be standing down,” he said.
“It is very clear we need a fresh start.”
Mr Perrottet also congratulated his opponenet and acknowledged Mr Minns for winning a “race to the top”.
“I, particularly tonight, want to acknowledge the Leader of the Opposition. Elections can get ugly but I believe this election truly was a race to the top,” he said.
“(It was) a genuine battle of ideas and that is when politics is at its best.
“In many ways, that is due to Chris Minns and of the way that he has carried himself throughout this campaign.”
Mr Perrottet said that while the party would have liked a “different result,” he said he was proud of his leadership and the Coalition’s 12-year run in government.
“Our government has achieved so much in so many ways,” he said.
“Our record is one of infrastructure, investment and imagination... we built the metros when they said it couldn’t be done, motorways that have changed the face of our city.”
He also acknowledged the party’s acheivements during Covid and said the Coalition had guided the state out of “droughts, fires, floods,” the pandemic lockdowns. Mr Perrottet also commended Deputy Leader NSW Treasurer Matt Kean, and former Liberal Deputy Leader Stuart Ayres, who lost his seat of Penrith.
“Sometimes it is through the darkest times that we are the best,” he said.
“I had the great privilege to witness that as the Premier of the state, and that is something that will always be with me for the rest of my life.”
Former prime minister John Howard also arrived to the Liberal’s election party at about, describing Mr Perrottet as “bold” and “heroic”.
“I admire him enormously, he took over in incredibly difficult circumstances and campaigned on a heroic fashion,” he told cameras.
“The other thing I want to say is that I pay tribute to the civil way in which the campaign was conducted by.”
New Premier breaks 12-year drought
Opposition Leader Chris Minns will be the 47th Premier of the state – leading his party to an election win after 12 years in opposition — while Dominic Perrottet and his Coalition government have been booted from power.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was jubilant introducing Mr Minns to the stage at Brighton-le-sands’ Novotel hotel.
He described the NSW Labor Leader as a “great” leader who had “vision, compassion, and integrity”.
“I have had the very good fortune to have known Chris Minns for many, many years. I know without a doubt that he embodies all that is best about the Australian Labor Party,” said Mr Albanese.
In his first speech after winning the premiership, Mr Minns thanked Deputy Leader Prue Carr, Labor volunteers and Mr Albanese for “putting their heart and soul into the Labor campaign”.
He also thanked the Premier for a respectful campaign, which he described as a “model of respect and civility”.
“Neither party took the low road, neither political party took the low blow,” he said.
“I can’t say that every election campaign in the future will be conducted the same way but from now on, no one will be able to say that it can’t be.”
He also pledged to “look after the people who looked after us,” and acknowledged front line workers who staffed hospitals, schools, and emergency department during the pandemic.
“There are many challenges facing the state of NSW over the next four years but the team I lead is ready for the challenge and opportunities of government and I will not let the people of this state down,” he said.
“After 12 years in Opposition I want to say to the people who voted for Labor or the Liberals and Nationals, or for the Independents or minor party candidates... we will govern for everyone in NSW.”
Saturday’s Labor victory is the party’s first state election win in 16 years. Their last victory was in 2007 under former premier Morris Iemma.
Sky News called a Labor win just two hours after counting began at 8.04pm.
“Chris Minns will be the next Premier of NSW,” Sky News Analyst Tom Connell said at 8.04pm.
To govern outright, they will need to win a total of 47 seats, and claim nine seats from the Coalition. Labor believes they’ve successfully reclaimed the Riverstone, Leppington, South Coast, Heathcote, East Hills and Parramatta.
Penrith could also fall to Labor, with former Liberal MP Stuart Ayres poised to lose his seat.
Retiring Parramatta MP Jeoff Lee told the ABC, the Liberals may have left it too late to nominate a candidate for the electorate.
“You can’t just simply transfer any support that I have, and I’m grateful for that support the community has given me over the last decade,” he told Sky News.
Chris Minns to safely retain Kogarah
It may have started as Labor’s most marginal seat in the state election but Labor Leader Chris Minns has confidently retained electorate.
Labor called the seat for the Opposition early on in the night, with Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Penny Sharpe said Mr Minns could win the seat with a huge 20 per cent swing.
Not bad considering they started the night with a 0.1 per cent margin.
Treasurer stands by Dominic Perrottet
Outgoing NSW Treasurer Matt Kean has stood by Liberal Leader Dominic Perrottet, despite rumours he could take charge of the party.
However, after Labor’s win was confirmed on Saturyday night, Mr Kean said the former Premier would be the leader for “as long as he wants”.
“Dominic Perrottet has done a stellar job pulling the Liberal Party of the National Party together after the loss of Gladys Berejiklian, there was a huge challenge for us,” he said.
“Dominic Perrottet is one of the best levels we have in the country, he devoted his entire professional life to Liberal values and our cause.
“He was elected but he was 27 years old, he is now 40.”
Mr Kean made a bleak prediction for the Coalition early on in the night.
Appearing on the ABC after polling booths across the state closed, he said the “deck is stacked against us”.
“It would be a historic victory because it hasn’t been done before, four terms, so fighting the tide of history is like fighting gravity,” he said.
“The challenge for us was to present ourselves as a new government, not the reiteration of a 12-year-old government.
“We really tried to demonstrate that we had fresh ideas.”
To win a majority government (47 seats), Labor needs to keep all their 38 seats and pick up another nine from the Coalition; however, the party believes it could also achieve a minority government with five seats.
Counting began at 6pm, after polling booths closed. The NSW Electoral Commission will also run a Virtual Tally Room from 6pm, where results will by published throughout the night.
Retiring Health Minister Brad Hazzard also admitted that NSW Dominic Perrottet was the underdog of the election.
“When you come off the back of Gladys Berejiklian or Mother Teresa, she’s a hard act to follow,” he told Nine News.
“It’s been very challenging for him. He’s done a great job and we’re confident we can win tonight.”
Outgoing Transport Minister David Elliott also admitted early on there was no “pathway to victory”.
“Stuart Ayres, tragically will probably not be returned which is a shame because I saw him as a future opposition leader,” he said.
What time will we get a result tonight?
Whether or not there is a clear result on Saturday night, the vote count will stop at 10.30pm and won’t resume till Monday.
In the event of a minority government – in which neither major party wins more than 47 seats – both Labor and the Coalition will need to get the support of the minor parties and Independents in order to create the next parliament.
Campaigning on the eve of the election, the Labor leader said he believed it would “come down to the wire”.
“I do believe it’s going to be tight,” he said.
“Most NSW elections, except for a few here and there, are tight contests, and I think that we’ve always known that.”
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