The path to majority government has narrowed for NSW Premier-elect Chris Minns but he and senior colleagues are set to officially take the reins of government.
The Labor leader and his interim ministry, consisting of a handful of senior colleagues, will be sworn in on Tuesday to allow for formal briefings to begin, Treasurer-elect Daniel Mookhey said on Monday.
Informal contact with department bosses, including Department of Premier and Cabinet Michael Coutts-Trotter, began on Monday.
Mr Mookhey said the government was keen to fully understand matters including the northern NSW flood recovery and transport issues that have caused repeated delays on the state’s train network.
“Equally, we are looking forward to getting the briefing on Menindee – the fish kills is a big part of our immediate priority,” he told reporters on Monday.
The swearing-in will take on national significance, with Mr Mookhey the first minister in Australia to be sworn in on the Bhagavad Gita, the most revered Hindu text.
Needing 47 seats to form a lower house majority in NSW, Labor remained stuck on 45 on Monday afternoon as the Coalition made gains in many of the 12 seats still in doubt.
ABC chief election analyst Antony Green said a majority government was a close-run thing.
“A majority government for Chris Minns and Labor may end up being as tight an affair as Neville Wran in 1976, waiting two weeks for Hurstville to be decided, and Bob Carr in 1995 waiting on Badgerys Creek and Gladesville,” Mr Green said on Monday afternoon.
Former journalist Katelin McInerney appears likely to topple MP Gareth Ward in Kiama but Lyndal Howison’s lead over Liberal Jordan Lane in Ryde has considerably narrowed and physiotherapist Sam Boughton has slipped behind incumbent Adam Crouch in Terrigal.
Miranda MP Eleni Petinos jumped 70 votes ahead of her Labor opponent while the Greens’ Kobi Shetty is likely to hold off a strong Labor challenge in Balmain.
The ABC called the Liberal-held seat of Wollondilly in favour of independent Judy Hannan.
But the Liberals were able to chalk up a win in Willoughby after votes from early voting centres helped Tim James push to a 1.9 per cent margin.
With the Nationals, they have clearly won 26 seats, are likely to take Winston Hills and Upper Hunter and are ahead in six more contests.
The election featured a swing of about 6 per cent to Labor, which was dwarfed by the 16 per cent swing against the party when it lost government in 2011.
“It’s taken Labor three elections to recover from the drubbing in 2011,” Mr Green said.
As the Liberal leadership shakes out, another name bowed out of the race as Dominic Perrottet’s replacement after the premier announced he would step aside during his Saturday concession speech.
Having seen off a teal challenge in beachside Manly, moderate MP James Griffin on Monday confirmed he would not attempt to become opposition leader.
“I’m looking forward to focusing on Manly and I will help whoever we vote in as leader,” he told AAP.
Former treasurer Matt Kean had been expected to strongly contest for the leadership but ruled himself out on Sunday, saying he wanted to “hang out and be a dad” to his three-year-old son.
Other potential candidates include former attorney-general Mark Speakman, outgoing enterprise, investment and trade minister Alister Henskens and former planning minister Anthony Roberts.
The recriminations over the Coalition’s loss continued, but one outgoing experienced minister called for a reality check.
David Elliot said the Liberal Party shouldn’t gnash teeth after “12 cracking years” in government.
But the party did need to better define itself, pointing to Penrith, Camden and Wollondilly, where substantial One Nation primary votes cost the Liberal incumbents.
One Nation experienced small swings in those seats, having backed up from a strong showing in 2019.
“We just need to put some stakes in the ground, we need to map out exactly where the parish is and that needs to be defined a little bit better,” Mr Elliott told 2GB.
“One Nation didn’t get the high vote that some were saying, but they certainly cost us seats in western Sydney.”
In the upper house, early forecasts suggest Labor will win eight seats, the Coalition six, the Greens two with one spot each for One Nation, Legalise Cannabis, the Liberal Democrats and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers parties.
The battle for the 21st and final seat is between Animal Justice Party’s Alison Waters and the seventh Coalition candidate, Rachel Merton.
-AAP
