NSW election results 2023 LIVE updates: Interim Labor ministry sworn in; majority government in doubt as vote count continues across the state

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NSW election results 2023 LIVE updates: Interim Labor ministry sworn in; majority government in doubt as vote count continues across the state

NSW election 2023

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Counting continuing this evening

By Anthony Segaert

If you’re wondering whether we can pull up stumps on this whole counting thing this evening... No. Some counting centres are open until 7pm tonight (as they were last night), which means we might get a few small updates on the numbers between now and then.

We’ve updated this page with the five remaining seats that we’re yet to call.

But when it comes to knowing whether Labor will be able to form a majority government, maybe it’s better to think in weeks – not days.

In 1976, counters took two weeks to deliver a final winner in the seat of Hurstville. In the end, Labor’s candidate was ahead by just 44 (yes, 44) votes, delivering Neville Wran a crucial one-seat majority in parliament.

Liberals take Pittwater

By Matt Wade and Anthony Segaert

In breaking news, the Herald has just called Pittwater for the Liberals.

The northern beaches seat, held by retiring MP Rob Stokes, has recorded a hefty swing against the Liberals. But Liberal candidate Rory Amon appears to have retained the seat against independent Jacqui Scruby.

It gives the Liberals 31 seats and leaves five seats too close to call: Goulburn, Holsworthy, Kiama, Miranda and Terrigal.

Terrigal ‘harder for Labor’ to win: Minns

By Anthony Segaert

At a press conference on his first day as premier earlier today, Chris Minns said it appears “harder for Labor” to win the very tight seat of Terrigal based on current data.

“These things are a bit of a rollercoaster,” he told reporters this afternoon. “The last briefing I got was that it would be harder for Labor [to win the seat].”

Liberal Adam Crouch is currently sitting on 50.3 per cent of the vote – 250 votes in front of Labor’s Sam Boughton. Just over 70 per cent of the vote has been counted.

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Tanya Davies steps forward for deputy Liberal leadership

By Anthony Segaert

Tanya Davies, the Member for Badgerys Creek and one of the few remaining Liberals in Sydney’s west, has put her hand up for the deputy leadership of the party.

In a statement on Facebook this afternoon, the MP – who suffered only a small swing against her – said the electorate “sent a clear message on election night that they want a Liberal Party that stands up for families, backs in our small businesses and governs with compassion”.

Member for Badgerys Creek, Tanya Davies, at the NSW Liberal Party campaign launch.

Member for Badgerys Creek, Tanya Davies, at the NSW Liberal Party campaign launch.Credit:Edwina Pickles

“Therefore I have decided that I can offer the leadership and representation that the people of western Sydney and NSW more broadly demand,” she said.

“I believe I can offer so much more to the NSW Parliamentary Liberal Party and I will be seeking support from colleagues in the party over the coming days and weeks for the deputy leadership.

“I am honoured to put my name forward for the deputy leadership of the NSW Liberal Party and I look forward to working hard to earn the trust and confidence of my colleagues and the people of NSW.”

Davies is the first to signal her interest in the deputy leadership of the party. She was previously the member for Mulgoa, but the electorate was abolished and replaced with Badgerys Creek on Saturday.

How well do you know the state’s constitution?

By Anthony Segaert

Good afternoon, Anthony Segaert with you for the remainder of the day.

A little afternoon pick me up: how well do you know our state’s constitution?

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NSW Governor Margaret Beazley encouraged the skeleton Labor ministry she swore in this morning to reacquaint themselves with the document, Sydney editor Michael Koziol reports. There were two parts she especially cared about: section two and section five.

Section two “acknowledges and honours the Aboriginal people as the State’s first people and nations” and recognises they “have a spiritual, social, cultural and economic relationship with their traditional lands and waters”.

Section five empowers the parliament “to make laws for the peace, welfare, and good government of New South Wales”.

You can read the whole document (if you want to...) here.

Coure: local Liberal campaign ‘vindicated’

By Lucy Cormack

Incumbent Liberal MP Mark Coure says his campaign has been vindicated after he emerged the victor of a neck-and-neck battle in his seat of Oatley, which was one of Labor’s top targets.

Coure, who is the outgoing Liberal multicultural minister, said he has survived in the face of a targeted campaign by Chris Minns.

Mark Coure speaking earlier during the campaign.

Mark Coure speaking earlier during the campaign.Credit:Anna Kucera

“Labor threw everything at this campaign. We had Anthony Albanese twice in the electorate, his partner [Jodie Haydon] twice. Labor’s campaign bus started in my electorate and Labor and the unions were everywhere,” he said.

“But hard work pays off. We attained, we bucked the trend and got an extremely good result.”

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Minns: We will not negotiate with Ward ‘at all’

By Angus Dalton

Staying with the premier’s comments made at Liverpool Hospital, Chris Minns said his camp are optimistic about clinching Kiama from independent Gareth Ward, who pleaded not guilty to historical sexual abuse allegations today in court.

Gareth Ward with his lawyer Robert Foster outside Nowra District Court today.

Gareth Ward with his lawyer Robert Foster outside Nowra District Court today.Credit:Nine

The premier was asked if he would negotiate with Ward if he wins Kiama and if Labor would move to again suspend him from parliament.

“We’re not going to negotiate with him at all,” Minns said.

“I want to wait and see what the outcome of the ballot is. We’re still very hopeful and I think in the commanding position to win that seat. I think that will be good for the parliament.”

Minns’ first move as premier: Addressing the waitlist for surgery

By Angus Dalton

Newly sworn-in Premier Chris Minns, alongside Health Minister Ryan Park, has directed the health department to set up Labor’s promised Surgical Care Taskforce to tackle the 100,000-person waitlist for elective surgery.

Making the announcement at western Sydney’s Liverpool Hospital, Minns said 17,000 people on that list were waiting longer than clinically recommended.

“The list includes 4000 children,” Minns said. “Of course, it’s an urgent priority for this incoming government.”

The taskforce would identify policies and initiatives that speed up wait times, particularly for people who are waiting longer than clinically recommended.

Park said the taskforce would report back to him in three months’ time and wants language around non-urgent surgery to change.

Here’s what he said:

Everyone knows that COVID put a big dent into the ability for people to access surgery. And from now on, I’m going to start calling it planned surgery.

You’ll note that in opposition, I didn’t like the term elective surgery. It sounded like people had a choice.

This is surgery that they need to reduce the pain and suffering that they’ve experienced. It’s also surgery that can allow them to go back to work, that allow them to be an active member of the community.

It’s important to me and language is important. And I want to make sure that change, we all adopt.

Watch: Premier Chris Minns and health minister speak

Newly sworn-in Premier Chris Minns and Health Minister Ryan Park spoke at Liverpool Hospital.

Watch below.

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Labor behind in all of its remaining seats

By Angus Dalton

It looks like Labor’s majority may be trouble.

With 60 per cent of all votes counted, Labor is now behind in every seat still in contention. Most of the electorates yet to call are split by a small number of votes.

The party needs one more seat to claim a majority, which it had until a batch of votes in the Labor-claimed seat of Terrigal put the electorate back into contested territory. Liberal candidate Adam Crouch now leads Labor’s Sam Boughton by 87 votes in the seat.

Independent Gareth Ward is now ahead of Labor in Kiama by 613 votes with 77 per cent of the vote counted.

The Liberals lead Miranda by 532 votes or 2.2 per cent, Holsworthy by 342 votes or 1.4 per cent and Goulburn by 306 votes or 1 per cent.

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