Premier Chris Minns is set to govern with a minority,after additional vote tallying dashed Labor’s chances in two seats.Credit:Edwina Pickles
By Saturday afternoon,seven days after polls closed in last week’s state election,Labor had won 45 seats,the Coalition had 35 seats (24 Liberal and 11 National),the Greens had retained its three seats and nine electorates had voted for independent candidates.
Just one electorate remained in doubt:the northern Sydney seat of Ryde where the local Liberal member,former customer service minister Victor Dominello,has retired.
The seat was considered a Labor gain on election night but has since been moved into the too-close-to-call category after additional counting suggested the swing away from the Liberals was not as large as originally assumed.
Whilea majority government was considered a likely outcome on election night,postal votes favouring Liberal candidates in close seats mean Labor is now looking likely to have 46 or,if it does not win Ryde,45 seats – two short of a majority.
Terrigal Liberal MP Adam Crouch (right) has retained his seat after a challenge from Labor’s Sam Boughton.Credit:Labor,Dominic Lorrimer
Last week,three key independents,member for Sydney Alex Greenwich,Lake Macquarie MP Greg Piper and Wagga Wagga MP Joe McGirr,guaranteed confidence and supply to the new Labor government in the event of a minority government.
Terrigal was also called for Labor on election night,but counting over the past week revealed Sam Boughton,a local physiotherapist and first-time political candidate,had failed to defeat Liberal MP Adam Crouch,who previously held the seat with a 12.3 per cent margin.