NSW election 2019: How Premier’s day-to-day attention to detail paid off

Premier Gladys Berejiklian personally dialled in to daily 6am phone hook-ups with an inner-circle of ministers and staff to micro-plan every turn of the Liberal campaign.

• Gladys Berejiklian vows to clean up state parliament

Premier Gladys Berejiklian personally dialled in to daily 6am phone hook-ups with an inner-circle of ministers and staff to micro-plan every turn of the Liberal campaign.

The Premier’s involvement on a day-to-day basis was praised yesterday by even her detractors, as they reaped the spoils of what was effectively a lacklustre campaign that came up trumps in the polls as the party was swept to a rare third term in office.

Tireless campaigner... NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian finishes up a TV interview this morning. Picture: Tracey Nearmy

NSW Labor leader Michael Daley leaves his Chifley home today. Picture: Monique Harmer

Liberal Party Campaign Director Chris Stone with Gladys Berejiklian. Picture: supplied

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This was a campaign in which Labor had turned to seasoned streetfighters — Bruce Hawker, Eamonn Fitzpatrick and Kris Neill — to run a sophisticated attack on the government. But in the end, their superior political smarts could not insulate them from Michael Daley’s mistakes.

The Liberal campaign was almost the exact opposite — a serviceable assault­ at best run by staff with little experience playing in first grade.

They won because the Premier could manage the gruelling hustings, falling back on her strength in detail to outdo Mr Daley at the final turn.

Labor turned to seasoned streetfighters Bruce Hawker and Eamonn Fitzpatrick.

The Liberal campaign office, run by Chris Stone — the man who saw the Liberals win the tough Bennelong by-election against Kristina Keneally in 2017 but lose the unlosable Wagga by-election last year — was repeatedly criticised for sticking to plans and failing to deviate from strategy at all costs.

Mr Stone was on the pre-dawn phone hook-ups, which also included senior Ministers Andrew Constance, Dominic Perrottet, Don Harwin, Brad Hazzard, John Barilaro and staff. In the weeks when Labor was riding high in the headlines on the back of a seemingly unstoppable momentum­, insiders criticised senior Berejiklian staffers for lacking agility and imagination.

Things were so tense, senior Liberal­ staffers were briefing media on their own policy suggestions to save face. The Premier was criticised for playing it too safe.

As recently as one week before the poll, senior government figures were panicked that they would lose.

Labor, led by General Secretary Kaila Murnain, had run a sensational ground game..then the wheels came off.

Labor’s internal polling figures were even stronger than those made public. The party believed even a majority­ government was possible.

There was no doubt at week three of the campaign that Labor, led by General Secretary Kaila Murnain, had run a sensational ground game. At that point the brains trust running Mr Daley’s office had out-politicked the Liberals on every turn.

But then, the wheels came off. The first glimmer came when Mr Daley could not answer basic questions about his brand new tax hike, three weeks after announcing it.

Turning point... Last week’s Daily Telegraph front page.

The press conference about his luxury car tax humiliated the leader, but the party was confident the class war essence of the party would be strong enough to dominate headlines. However, within days The Daily Telegraph published the video of Mr Daley making offensive comments about migrants from Asia.

The party was still hopeful that the remarks, which were interpreted as racist, wouldn’t cost too many votes in outer suburban areas and regions. But any votes saved there were lost when Mr Daley was exposed on live TV at the Sky News/Daily Telegraph People’s forum for not knowing key budget details of his own policy.

Gladiator.... Gladys Berejiklian celebrates with Scott Morrison on Saturday night. Picture:AAP

Inside Labor sources last night said they believed the debate performance savaged Labor’s vote on the north coast, where elderly voters watching on TV were “stunned Daley could not add up”. Another Labor figure said the party failed on the attack front.

While the Liberal party became renowned­ for having a “dirt unit” which focused on tactics and research, Labor did not land any significant blows on the government outside of policy. “We should have done more attacks on them,” one Labor heavyweight said last night.

“Our guys didn’t find them.”