Gladys Berjiklian has been praised by her colleagues as she became the first female to be elected premier in NSW, delivering the Coalition a third term at a time when polling shows the federal Liberal Party as increasingly unpopular.
The Liberals had only lost one seat during counting on Saturday night, the eastern suburbs electorate of Coogee – however East Hills and Penrith remained too to call.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is greeted by Prime Minister Scott Morrison as she enters the ballroom of the Sofitel Wentworth for her victory celebrations.CREDIT:JAMES BRICKWOOD
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet praised his leader's qualities, saying the Liberals' success in being re-elected was due to Ms Berejiklian.
"I think what Gladys has been able to successfully do in this election is talking about the other things, the significant infrastructure, that we're building across the state and the importance of that," told ABC TV.
"If you look at where the Liberal Party is across the country right now, this appears early on to be a very, very positive result."
Mr Perrottet said becoming the first woman to be elected as Premier "sent a great message".
"We were out yesterday and she was asked about what does she think this means … to be the first re-elected or first elected female Premier of New South Wales," he said.
"I think she was too humble to answer that question, but I think, as a father of four young girls, it sends a great message to women and young girls right across our state," he said.
"To have [a woman] elected as premier should inspire them to achieve their goals and hopes and dreams and I think that’s fantastic if it comes through from this evening."
At the grand ballroom of the Sofitel Wentworth in Sydney's CBD, where the Liberal faithful gathered to celebrate Ms Berejiklian’s win, the mood throughout the night was festive and celebratory.
Just before 10pm, Prime Minister Scott Morrison strolled into the ballroom with his wife and took the stage. He saw the Liberal NSW’s win as a good omen for his upcoming campaign.
"Tonight you’ve seen a government re-elected that’s delivered the lowest unemployment in history, delivered record funding for schools and hospitals, and that’s returned a budget to surplus and kept it in surplus," he said.
"That's what Liberal governments do; they deliver strong economy that delivers services that people rely on.
"In two months from now, we will be celebrating another Liberal-National government being returned."
The Coalition has become the first conservative government, in nearly half a century, to be given a third term in NSW.
https://www.smh.com.au/nsw-election-2019/gladys-berejiklian-praised-as-she-becomes-nsw-s-first-elected-female-premier-20190323-p516xr.html