The woman most likely to replace Mike Baird as NSW Premier

GLADYS Berejiklian is tipped to replace Mike Baird — but onlookers are wondering how to pronounce the Treasurer’s surname.

Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian, pictured unveiling the midyear state budget update, has kept the NSW government in surplus. Picture Chris Pavlich

GLADYS Berejiklian is tipped to replace Mike Baird as NSW Premier — but onlookers are concerned about how to pronounce her surname.

It could be politics’ biggest challenge since the election of Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (Pal-a-shay).

Unlike several high profile Armenians, the NSW Treasurer refused to change her name, telling a reporter from her parents’ native country in 2009 it was “just not something that I was comfortable in doing”.

In her maiden speech in 2003, when she was elected Member for Willoughby, she said she was “proud” of her surname, and thanked those who had voted for her “even though they could not pronounce it”.

In fact, it’s said pretty much exactly as it is written — Ber-e-jiklian — but we’re not the first to ask the question.

Ms Berejiklian has been tipped as the most likely successor to Mr Baird after the NSW Premier announced he was quitting politics this morning.

The Industrial Relations Minister has remained largely uncompromised by the controversies the state government has faced in the past year, with infrastructure projects and lockout laws causing massive headaches for Mr Baird.

Ms Berejiklian has managed to keep the state government in surplus and oversaw the privatisation of NSW’s electricity network with very few hiccups.

The former transport minister, who the Daily Telegraph reports was seen having coffee with Mr Baird this morning, has voter appeal as a public school educated daughter of working-class Armenian migrants. Mr Baird did not mention her today, however.

Ms Berejiklian, 46, is the former transport minister who oversaw the introduction of Opal cards. Picture: Toby Zerna

The 46-year-old former Commonwealth Bank executive would be the second female NSW premier after Labor’s Kristina Keneally if she gets the job.

She is favourite for the role, with other contenders including Planning Minister Rob Stokes, Transport Minister Andrew Constance, Energy Minister Anthony Roberts from the Right and Trade and Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres.

Ms Berejiklian would seem like a breath of fresh air after “Casino Mike” spent the past few years battling a steady decline in his popularity, lambasted for curtailing Sydney’s night-life and for the heavily criticised light rail, WestConnex and Sydney Metro projects.

She joined the frontbench in 2005 as opposition mental health spokeswoman and became Barry O’Farrell’s right-hand woman after helping him win the 2011 state election.

He appointed her transport minister, a role in which she shone, speaking out against the government’s handling of trains, buses and ferries and was behind the introduction of the Opal card.

Like others, the former Premier was impressed by the hardworking politician, who often goes to bed at midnight and gets up at 5.45am. He said he could see her in the top job one day, although “her weakness at times is that she sells herself short”, Fairfax reported in 2011.

Couldn't be more proud of the world's best treasurer @GladysB as she hands down her second budget today. pic.twitter.com/XxYPZkJEJ5

— Mike Baird (@mikebairdMP) June 21, 2016

In May, she predicted that New South Wales had a “bright future” ahead and will be a trillion-dollar economy in just over a decade, doubling what it is worth right now.

“The key to our success has been record investment in infrastructure, which has supported jobs growth, and continued strength in the construction sector,” she said.

It was a confident forecast, with the entirety of Australia’s economy only worth $1.6 trillion right now.

She faced some criticism, however, when she confirmed the decision to privatise the registry business of Land and Property Information, with the proceeds from the transaction — expected to exceed $700 million — to be invested in new infrastructure. Some claimed running it like a business would see the cost of using the service increase, and that homebuyers would bear the burden.

NSW Premier Mike Baird is quitting politics after a tricky year.

She has a graduate diploma in international studies from the University of Sydney and a Masters in Commerce from the University of New South Wales.

A new premier will be appointed next week, Mr Baird revealed when he announced his resignation this morning.

“Serving as premier of NSW has been a tremendous honour, but I have made clear from the beginning that I was in politics to make a difference, and then move on. After 10 years in public life, this moment for me has arrived,” he said in a statement.

“Next week there will be a Liberal Party room meeting and a spill of leadership positions. Following that meeting, I will resign from parliament, effective immediately.

“I am immensely proud of what Barry O’Farrell and I — together with Andrew Stoner, Troy Grant, John Barilaro and our teams — have achieved over the past six years,” he said.

— With wires