Bubbly Gladys to get on with job

Gladys Berejiklian is said to have afforded herself one sip from one glass of champagne on Saturday night.

Then, befitting the way the Premier and self-confessed workaholic approaches the job, it was back to work. Because now her real work starts.

Often in NSW politics, the period after a great election victory can prove difficult. A cabinet reshuffle is the immediate thing that puts noses out of joint. Then there is the precarious nature of parliament and the upper house to deal with — a balance of power expected to feature the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers, Christian Democrats and One Nation.

But where Berejiklian can go from strength to strength is with the confidence of being premier in her own right.

Plenty of ribbon cutting awaits — not least of which is on Sydney’s first metro line, the $8 billion North West Metro. And controversy over teething problems with new projects also awaits, including the Sydney Light Rail (set to blow out past $3 billion) and with new tollways.

The question is whether Berejiklian wants to hang around for the whole four years or bail halfway through, like Mike Baird, for a job back at the banks.

Either way, she is shaping to be a longer-serving premier than Barry O’Farrell, Nick Greiner, John Fahey, Morris Iemma, Baird, Nathan Rees or Kristina Keneally.

On the Labor side, meanwhile, there are real fears the party could be out of power for a similar period to the last time the Libs were out — 16 years.

This seems unlikely given the slim margins several Liberal seats now hold and the fact the government has only a two-seat margin, but the division and lack of a leadership prospect threatens the once great NSW Labor Party.

Michelle Rowland, the federal frontbencher, told Sky News on Saturday night it may be that the next Labor premier was not even in the parliament yet.

One of the reasons Berejiklian’s achievement Saturday night is so noteworthy is how hard — because of all the Liberal vote being locked up on the north shore of Sydney — it is for the Liberal-Nationals to win majority government.

Ms Berejiklian scored more than 52 per cent of the two-party-preferred vote yet won a majority of only two seats.

But she was also gifted the election by Michael Daley’s buffoonery. He really has to go.

Before Daley’s comments on Asian immigration were released and his gaffe at the Sky News People’s Forum, Labor was in a position to win three to four seats — Penrith, East Hills, Upper Hunter and Tweed. This would have put Berejiklian in minority government and close to being knocked off. She has copped flak for asking staff for press releases a week in advance to tick off on every line and her “micromanaging”.

It’s said Daley used to read them on the way to announcements. Micromanaging and obsession with detail won the day. But so did the ability to handle pressure. An ability Berejiklian has in spades.