Chris Minns to lead NSW Labor Party as rival Michael Daley pulls out

Minns’ leadership rival, Michael Daley, withdrew his nomination on Friday, ending a protracted battle for control of the party.

Chris Minns with wife Anna after he was announced as the new leader of NSW Labor on Friday. Picture: Nikki Short

Working families and economic opportunities will be at the heart of newly elected NSW Labor leader Chris Minns’ message ahead of the 2023 election, after he assumed the role following a dispute that ousted his predecessor and left colleagues riven by fractured loyalties.

Mr Minns, the member for Kogarah, was unanimously ­declared Labor leader during a special caucus meeting on Friday after his chief rival, Maroubra MP Michael Daley, decided against formally nominating for the role.

Mr Daley said after the meeting that while he had enough support from the caucus, it was clear Mr Minns retained the majority of the vote. He said allowing Mr Minns to take the position would be best for party unity.

The victory marked the Kogarah MP’s third attempt to take the leadership, having unsuccessfully contested against Mr Daley in 2018 and his immediate predecessor, Jodi McKay, in 2019.

Former leader Michael Daley. Picture: Joel Carrett

Ms McKay resigned last Friday in the aftermath of a disappointing by-election result in the Upper Hunter and persistent undermining of her leadership by some members of the Labor caucus and union figures. Mr Minns is expected to announce his shadow cabinet in the coming days.

In his first remarks as Labor leader on Friday, he laid out the foundations for the party to reorient itself to take on the Berejiklian government, which has enjoyed high levels of public support through the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Now the hard work begins for the Labor Party to get up off the mat, take the fight up to the Berejiklian government, and have some positive plans for the future of NSW – I know that task will be difficult,” Mr Minns said.

He added that he was “not interested in tearing strips” of Gladys Berejiklian for her management of the pandemic.

Naming cost-of-living pressures as a key policy priority, Mr Minns said his areas of concern also included boosting the number of lucrative jobs in regional NSW, as well as focused plans for schools and hospitals.

“The next election will be about what kind of economy and society we want to build in NSW once the pandemic is over, and I’m convinced the NSW Labor Party has a big role to play in that important conversation,” he said.

Mr Minns, 41, entered parliament in 2015 as the member for Kogarah having previously spent time working in the party’s head office as an assistant secretary.

He is likely to appoint Summer Hill MP Jo Haylen as his deputy and conduct a thorough refresh of shadow cabinet.

While some of the positions are understood to have already been decided, Mr Minns said further conversations would be had with colleagues, including Mr Daley, about what role, if any, they could play in Labor’s future.

“I think he’s got a huge role to play and I want to talk to him about the best way for him to contribute,” Mr Minns said.

But the new Labor leader said deep divides within the party would not be immediately healed.

“I’m not saying it’s magically fixed, I’m saying that there will be challenges ahead,” he said.

“My job now is to rally the troops, focus on the people in NSW and, as I’ve said repeatedly, have a positive and optimistic plan about what’s possible.”

Ms McKay resigned after a concerted campaign from union leaders – in particular from the Australian Workers Union and the Health Services Union – who were deeply opposed to her.

Mr Minns has indicated Ms McKay will have a frontbench position once shadow cabinet is decided. Ms McKay did not attend the caucus meeting, but later said she supported Mr Minns.