The teal independent wave that crashed the federal election is so far yet to materialise in New South Wales, with no Climate 200 candidates so-far elected in the state poll.
Climate 200 had backed five candidates, four in Sydney's north and one in the Southern Highlands, but last night the organisation's founder Simon Holmes a Court conceded it was "unlikely" any of them would win.
"Most of these seats haven't changed hands in a generation or two," he said last night.
"We'll be very happy if a number of these seats go marginal. Bringing genuine contest in these seats and the community engaging in politics, that's a win before we start."
But there is still hope for three teal candidates as counting closed at 10.30pm, with the count set to resume on Monday.
In Lane Cove the Climate 200 candidate Victoria Davidson received 22.6 per cent of the vote, while in the North Shore candidate Helen Conway received 22.3 per cent.
In both seats the ABC predicts the Liberal Party is set to retain its MPs.
Last night Manly was still marginally in play for the teals, though it looked to be slipping away, with the ABC's election computer labelling it "Liberal retain".
While in Wollondilly, which covers parts of the Southern Highlands including Mittagong and Bowral, independent Judy Hannan was neck-and-neck with the Liberal candidate.
Pittwater, the seat of retiring senior Liberal MP Rob Stokes, was last night too close to call with the Liberal Party's Rory Amon ahead.
The seat covers the northern beaches suburbs of Mona Vale, Church Point, Newport, Avalon and Palm Beach.
Speaking on the Climate 200 movement, Mr Stokes said the Liberal Party was "held down" by the teals in Sydney.
"And we had to respond to that threat," Mr Stokes said. "Which meant we were attacked on the right by One Nation.
"It's incredibly ironic in one sense that the teals helped One Nation deliver an election to the Labor Party.
"I was proud to be part of a government that was really the most progressive in the country in relation to the energy transition and renewable energy, so it was sort of a bit odd that Climate 200 was attacking us."
Other independents triumph
Outgoing treasurer Matt Kean, who has been outspoken on environmental issues during his time in government, also spoke on the teal impact on Saturday's poll.
He said some people's predictions of teal independents storming into Macquarie Street were wrong.
"[There was talk] about the teal wave, the Climate 200 backed candidates and looks like we're prevailed against them in Lane Cove, Vaucluse, North Shore, Pittwater, Davidson," he said.
"On that basis, yes, we have done the job we intended to do."
Despite the lack of impact from most Climate 200 candidates, other independents in NSW triumphed in Barwon, Lake Macquarie, Murray, Orange and Wagga Wagga.
Local mayor Michael Regan has claimed victory in Wakehurst, securing former health minister Brad Hazzard's seat as he retires.
There had been a massive 35 per cent swing away from Liberal candidate Toby Williams.
Mr Regan has told the crowd at Cromer Park he was indebted to "an army of volunteers".
Although he was not a teal candidate, he said the Climate 200 organisation that swept through federal politics had made it "safer" to vote independent.
While in former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian’s seat of Willoughby, Liberal Party incumbent Tim James and independent Larissa Penn were neck-and-neck after preferences.
The Liberal Party has held Willoughby at every election since 1950 bar one, in 1978, before it swung back to the Liberal Party in 1981.
Mr James, who was not Ms Berejiklian's preferred successor as candidate, won the February 2022 by-election against Ms Penn with a reduced minority.
