Labor thump Liberals, return from political wilderness
Labor was claiming key seats of Riverstone, East Hills, Parramatta and believed they would form at least a minority government before 9pm when NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet called Opposition Leader Chris Minns to concede.
Minns had been watching the election unfold from his home in Sydney’s south before heading to the party’s main reception just minutes away.
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Labor treasury spokesman Daniel Mookhey said Labor had been vindicated for running a positive campaign and listening to western Sydney families.
“I think Chris was right from day one in saying we had to focus on a positive agenda and to focus on families … this is a victory for the true believers,” he said.
“I think the fact that we have been speaking about cost of living, and serious plans to rebuild our essential services, I think voters have responded. It’s very humbling.”
Former premier Bob Carr said Labor had experienced a surge in support in the final days of the campaign.
“The striking thing is the breadth of the Labor gains here. Chris didn’t make a single mistake in the campaign, and he deserves full credit,” he told the Herald.
Minns spent the last few days of the election campaign on the hunt in Liberal-held seats across Sydney that Labor would need to seize to win government.
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While Perrottet spent the final day of the campaign sandbagging seats held by his own government, Minns visited East Hills and Ryde. Late on Saturday evening it appeared Labor would go on to win both.
Labor water spokeswoman Rose Jackson said while Perrottet had run an admirable campaign, he had been let down by the Liberal brand and a caucus bereft of talent.
“We picked the right issues, we were incredibly disciplined on it. We wanted it more,” she told the Herald.