Courteous, upbeat campaign sets tone for Chris Minns’ premiership
Chris Minns’ laid-back style, his civility and his prosecution of an upbeat, positive message has struck a chord that will define his premiership.
Chris Minns’ laid-back and relaxed style, his civility towards opponents and collegiality with his colleagues, and his prosecuting of an upbeat, positive message has struck a chord with NSW voters and will define his premiership.
Labor’s historic victory heralds a new era for NSW and signals the arrival of a new-look party. The ministry and backbench have been renovated and refreshed; there are no reminders of the scandals and disunity that plagued Labor’s last years in power.
Minns – cerebral, thoughtful, and a student of history – will lead a moderate, pragmatic, disciplined government in the tradition pioneered by Bill McKell (1941-47) and practised by Neville Wran (1976-86) and Bob Carr (1995-2005). He joins them as the only leader to take the party from opposition to government since the war years.
The new premier’s style, differing from Wran and Carr, does not signal complacency; he is determined to lead a government that suits the times. Minns has always been strategic and has absorbed lessons from Peter Malinauskas in South Australia and Mark McGowan in Western Australia.
He has long studied paradigm-shifting politicians from Tony Blair’s Third Way in the 2000s to Bill Clinton’s New Democrat approach in the 1990s, and the modernisation of Labor by Bob Hawke and Paul Keating in the 1980s. He aims to lead a government of longevity.
Making a virtue of his respect for Dominic Perrottet reflects Minns’ non-confrontational style. He views political opponents as adversaries, not enemies. He is close friends with Nationals MP Ben Franklin.
The courteous campaign has changed the political dynamic in NSW.
In fewer than two years as leader, Minns has refurbished Labor’s frontbench, removing poor performers and elevating talent. The Labor caucus has also been replenished with new MPs, most of whom are women.
However, it is still the most inexperienced Labor team since before World War II.
The McKell, Wran and Carr governments had former ministers in their ranks. McKell served in the Lang, Dooley and Storey governments. Wran had former premier Jack Renshaw as treasurer and former leader Pat Hills who had been a minister. Carr was a minister in the Wran and Unsworth governments, as were several of his ministers.
Minns has only one former minister on the front bench: former leader Michael Daley.
He would be wise to keep Daley, currently legal affairs spokesman, in a senior portfolio.
The return of former minister Steve Whan in Monaro will likely see him appointed to cabinet.
Labor should invite Carr and Morris Iemma to tutor on cabinet governance, ministerial portfolio management and working with the public service.
John Della Bosca can advise on building effective relationships with the party office and union movement.
As it was a leadership-focused election, Minns deserves most of the credit for victory. Labor’s primary vote increased and a majority of seats were won even though the campaign was not of the standard that elected Carr or Wran.
The election win has therefore increased Minns’ authority in the new government. Now the real test begins: governing.
More Coverage
Moral clarity: Minister drops ALP’s restraint on Israel
One of Anthony Albanese’s key factional backers, Mark Butler, has delivered Labor’s strongest defence of Israel, endorsing its right to strike back and warning that Australian Jews are facing anti-Semitism on a scale never seen before.
Jewish mourners pray for peace and acceptance
Thousands from the Jewish community have gathered in Sydney’s eastern suburbs for a solemn vigil to mark a year since the brutal October 7 terrorist attacks and to grieve the more than 1200 Israelis killed.