NSW Labor has begun work after its resounding victory Saturday night, with a leadership meeting planned for later on Sunday.
Labor holds 45 seats and is confident it will get to the 47 needed for a majority government — they picked up at least nine seats from the Coalition.
Premier-elect Chris Minns was out-and-about early Sunday morning with wife Anna and their three sons in his electorate of Kogarah.
"We'll be having a leadership group meeting this afternoon with senior ministers-elect to talk about our responsibilities, to ensure that we've got our plans in place ready to go," he said.
"This is an awesome responsibility; New South Wales Labour is aware of the challenges that face us. But we're up to that challenge.
"And our message to the people of New South Wales is, we'll govern for everybody, and we're ready for the responsibilities of office."
Heading into the polls, it was feared the seat he held with a margin of 0.1 per cent could be lost, but Mr Minns secured it with an increased margin of 17.7 per cent.
He said the party had taken nothing for granted during the election campaign.
"It was a pleasant surprise … I've never taken this seat for granted. And I'm obviously thrilled and humbled by the result that the people of Kogarah have given the New South Wales Labour Party."
Mr Minns reiterated his commitment to essential workers, a key plank in Labor's policy platform, calling it an "urgent priority".
"There's not a moment to lose ensuring that we've got our plans in place, particularly for essential workers," he said.
"We'll be talking with the minister-elect for health, Ryan Park, and minister-elect for education, deputy leader Prue Car, about our plans, implementing them as soon as possible, and giving confidence to essential workers in New South Wales that there's a government in place that will look after them."
Vote counting resumes on Monday and Labor will be focused on Terrigal, Miranda, Goulburn, Ryde and Kiama.
Western Sydney was a stand-out for the party, with gains in Camden, East Hills, Parramatta, Riverstone, Holsworthy and Penrith.
Mr Minns played down the impact of how the government managed the pandemic in the region when quizzed on Labor's success, instead attributing it to issues around essential workers and privatisation.
"Whether there's other lingering issues within the community, I don't know," he said.
"This was always our big challenge to go into Western Sydney and win over people that had supported the Morison government at the last federal election, which was no easy task.
"I think we were able to do that by having candidates that were excellent on the ground, knocking on doors, speaking directly to the people in New South Wales and having a closer connection with the community."
Incoming Labor member for Parramatta and lord mayor Donna Davis agrees with Mr Minns's assessment, adding that as a councillor for the past six years, "that's exactly what I have been doing".
She gave the party one of its biggest swings of 15.2 per cent — the seat was previously held by the Liberals with a margin of 6.5 per cent.
"We really have been listening to the community for a long time, both at the local level as state MPs that were already in the area, they were ensuring they were listening to what the concerns of the community were," she said.
"That's what people want, they wanted somebody that they knew would do that but also is a strong advocate, and I feel like that really paid off on the night."
Ms Davis denied speculation the Liberal Party's baggage from the past 12 years played a big factor in her win, saying the area has been a major focus for the Liberals who have pumped substantial funding for infrastructure.
"But along the way they forgot to continue to engage with their community, and that's where they lost faith with the community.
"I've lived here for almost 30 years, and it really does make a difference when you are talking to the people that the policies and decisions implemented actually influence."
