Chris Minns will be the 47th premier of NSW after there were big swings to Labor in the NSW election.
It's on track to win a majority in the lower house.
Speaking at the Liberal Party's official election night function in Sydney's CBD, Dominic Perrottet said NSW should "get behind Chris Minns".
During his victory speech, Mr Minns said the state had voted for a "fresh start".
Here's how the night unfolded.
Key events
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Live updates
Quick recap of Labor's gains
By Paige Cockburn
- Labor will form majority government, according to ABC election analyst Antony Green
- It will hold at least 47 seats in the 93 member lower house
- It has so far gained nine seats from the Coalition
- The seat of retiring health minister Brad Hazzard has been picked up by independent Michael Regan
-
One Nation is only up 1 per cent compared to their 2019 election results
Farewell!
By Kevin Nguyen
That's a wrap from us, folks!
Thank you for staying with us throughout the night. We'll see you next time!
Love,
The ABC election blogging team
(Kevin Nguyen, Paige Cockburn, Leigh Tonkin and Riley Stuart)
Some final observations
By Leigh Tonkin
Counting has now finished for the night and won't resume until Sunday.
Antony Green is predicting Labor will end up with 50 seats.
The primary statewide vote is currently at 37.4 per cent for Labor, 25.7 per cent for Liberals, 8.4 per cent for Nationals and 10.1 for Greens.
These are the seats still in doubt:
- Goulburn (Labor ahead)
- Holsworthy (Labor ahead)
- Kiama (Labor ahead)
- Miranda (Liberal ahead)
- Oatley (Labor ahead)
- Pittwater (Liberal ahead)
- Willoughby (independent ahead)
- Winston Hills (Liberal ahead)
- Wollondilly (independent ahead)
All counting will resume on Monday, when we also will start to get a better idea of the Upper House results.
You can see the votes that have started to trickle in for the Legislative Council here.
Tomorrow expect Chris Minns to be out on the hustings doing a victory lap!
Who is the next NSW Premier?
By Kevin Nguyen
NSW Labor leader Chris Minns has just led the party to its first election victory in 12 years.
So, who is the man tasked with navigating the new government through the next four years?
Reporter Ruby Cornish is here with what you know about Minns.
How the night unfolded
By Kevin Nguyen
It's been a remarkable evening and you'll be forgiven for missing some of the pivotal moment and speeches after a decisive victory for NSW Labor.
Greta Stonehouse has the wrap of the NSW election from the tears to the cheers.
Labor takes Terrigal for first time
By Kevin Nguyen
It's a remarkable night on the NSW Central Coast, where Labor's Sam Boughton is projected to win the Liberal stronghold seat of Terrigal.
The seat has only ever been in Liberal hands, but the 31-year-old physiotherapist looks set to claim it from incumbent Adam Crouch after a swing of 14 percent.
Meanwhile incumbent MP Leslie Williams has become the first Liberal to hold the seat of Port Macquarie.
Ms Williams left the Nationals and joined the Liberals in 2020.
She says her win tonight proves the National Party doesn't "own the seat".
How Western Sydney turned red again
By Kevin Nguyen
Labor can, in part, thank Sydney's west for its surge to form majority government for the first time in 12 years, after reclaiming several seats in the area.
Camden, East Hills, Parramatta, and Riverstone were lost by Labor in 2011, Holsworthy in 2015, and Penrith in 2010, but are now back red after Chris Minns' romped to power on Saturday night.
Labor faithful cried tears of joy at the party's official event at Brighton-Le-Sands as seats turned red again for the first time in years.
Maryanne Taouk has more about Western Sydney's restoration of faith in Labor.
Minns victory speech in full
By Kevin Nguyen
What next for the Liberals?
By Kevin Nguyen
Our election broadcast is starting to wrap up and some of our panelists and analysts are giving their last thoughts about the evening.
Matt Kean
"I would say I think that the Liberal Party will continue to focus on playing a constructive role in building a better state, which we have done for the past 12 years and that is what we will do in opposition."
Kean doesn't believe the Liberal brand has been damaged too terribly.
"Both federally and at a state level, one of the major things going against us was a longevity of those governments.
"There was clearly a movement for change... there was a lot of apathy. They were just thinking it was time for the change [and to] give the other guys ago."
Liberal strategist
Tony Barry, a former Liberal Party strategist now with RedBridge group, said the final results won't be as catastrophic once the counting is done.
"That said, not a great result — we have seen disastrous results in WA. Cataclysmic. Terrible in South Australia, similar in Victoria."
Barry said the Liberal Party needs to have a difficult conversation and concluded "we can't get elected if we keep going down this path".
"Changes need to be made. We need to go back to core values."
What does Labor-run NSW look like? Part two
By Kevin Nguyen
Continuing on from a previous post, here are more of Labor's commitments now that it is projected to have majority government.
Improved road infrastructure
Both parties had commitment major investments to NSW roads, an obvious one for anyone who has to commute on the Hume Highway from Liverpool (yeah, I said it).
Labor is promising $1.1 billion for road improvements across Western Sydney and regional NSW. This includes easing bottlenecks in Riverstone and Homebush and additional entry and exit ramps on the M1 at Dapto.
It has also promised to remove construction speed limits when work is not taking place to match rules already in place in Victoria and South Australia.
Domestic violence
Labor is promising to build a new specialist multicultural domestic and family violence centre in south-western Sydney.
It has also promised to double the funding for women's health centres and provide longer-term, five-year funding arrangements for domestic violence support services.
Renewable investment
Labor has promised to allocate $1 billion to a new state-run energy body to accelerate investment in renewable energy assets.
It said an "energy relief fund" will shave $315 off the energy bills of eligible small businesses and $250 off the bills of all households receiving income support, for example, pensioners and family tax benefit recipients.
Labor approaching victory in bellweather seat of Monaro
By Paige Cockburn
Reporting by Patrick Bell
Labor candidate for Monaro Steve Whan is on the verge of a political comeback, after an enormous swing in the seat.
The ABC projects Mr Whan will finish on 54 per cent of the two-party preferred vote, unseating the Nationals MP Nichole Overall, who won the seat at a by-election 12 months ago
Mr Whan — a former Labor minister and upper house MP — has stopped short of claiming victory outright, but said he is optimistic about the result.
"I'd much rather be where I am," he told supporters.
"It's looking like I'm going to be part of [a Labor] government... I intend to make the most of it.
Dominic Perrottet concession speech in full
By Kevin Nguyen
'NSW LABOR IS BACK': Minns
By Paige Cockburn
The next premier says he will govern for all, despite who they voted for in this election.
"We know that the challenges are huge, the responsibilities are awesome but New South Wales Labor is back and ready to govern in this great state, thank you so much."
NSW voted for essential workers: Minns
By Paige Cockburn
Chris Minns has reflected on his two big campaign focuses — removing the public sector wage cap and ending privatisation.
"I'm proud to say today the people of New South Wales voted for the removal of the unfair wages.
"They voted for our nurses, our teachers...our paramedics and police.
"There was a basic acknowledgement at the end of the day that during the COVID emergency the people of New South Wales that work in our hospitals, schools, and emergency department put themselves second and the public first."
He's also reiterated his promise to change the NSW constitution to ensure Sydney Water and Hunter Water can never be privatised.
Minns says this was a 'model' election campaign
By Paige Cockburn
"This election campaign, perhaps uniquely, was a model of respect and civility, and neither party took the low road, neither political party took the low blow.
"I think it can be a model for the way democracy is done right across this country."
Chris Minns slowly makes his way through the crowd
By Paige Cockburn
'No surprise' about Perrottet stepping down
By Kevin Nguyen
Our state political reporter Ashleigh Raper says Perrottet's announcement that he would be stepping down comes as "no surprise".
Sitting on the ABC election panel was one of Raper's picks as an "obvious front runner" for the new party leader, Matt Kean.
With other party heavyweights like Rob Stokes retiring, Kean would be facing less competition but he told our panel it is "too early for discussion" and that he hasn't thought about it.
Our ABC hosts audibly laughed at the comment.
The outgoing treasurer who represents the moderate faction of the NSW Liberals has previously signaled his desire for the top job. His ambition to climb the ladder and his influence in factional plays/wars is also no secret in the halls of Macquarie Street.
Kean said, however, that the NSW Liberal is going to have to do some soul-searching. It's possible, given the Liberals have ceded ground in every state and territory except for Tasmania in the past few years, that he may see the position as something of a poisoned chalice.
Kean is relatively young at only 41 years old and there is likely merit in him biding his time.
"There are a lot of talented people in the Liberal Party, definitely something that we can build on," Kean said.
"Dominic has made sure that people have had experience that will be able to contribute. I would like to continue to contribute to the team."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has stepped up at Labor HQ
By Paige Cockburn
He says tonight the state has come together to choose a better future.
"Chris Minns embodies all that is best about the Labor Party"
"He's a leader guided by fairness, equality, and the fair go. A leader whose instinct is always to bring people together."
Toole is full of 'mixed emotions'
By Kevin Nguyen
Reporting by Xanthe Gregory
The Nationals leader and the outgoing deputy premier Paul Toole described today as one of "mixed emotions".
He's retained the seat for a fourth term with a swing of about 5 per cent towards him.
But the leader of the NSW Nationals Party will no longer be second in charge of the state.
"What's happened tonight isn't a great result for NSW," he said.
He's teary eyed and has a full room of supporters.
'Thank you and good night'
By Paige Cockburn
"I didn't get into politics for a job. I got into politics to serve," Perrottet told the Liberal Party crowd at the Sofitel.
"I want to thank every person across New South Wales for the great opportunity that you have given me.
"It has been an absolute honour and privilege, the greatest honour and privilege that I have had my entire life.
"Thank you and good night."
