The ABC‘s elections analyst Antony Green has predicted a Coalition victory, which would make Gladys Berejiklian New South Wales‘ first elected female premier.
Green says the count has been the “slowest he had ever seen”.
The winning number to form a majority government is 47. The Liberal National Party are on 45 and the Australian Labor Party trail behind on 31. Green does not believe Labor will be able to win any more seats.
He is unsure if the Coalition will hold a majority.
“It’s probably in the majority … but as I’ve said I’ve had some difficulty with some of these seats, so I’m inclined to be cautious as to whether it’s a majority or minority,” he said.
“The Coalition will be back in government, now it’s simply about the numbers at the end of the night.”
Earlier tonight, thirty minutes before polling booths closed, a 9News exit poll first predicted the win for the Coalition. However, the poll indicated a minority government for Berejiklian.
The poll sampled 1666 voters across the 16 most marginal seats in the state.
Nine’s exclusive exit poll shows a minority government for Gladys Berejiklian’s Coalition. #NSWVotes2019 https://t.co/Li3WvWYTJO
— Nick Pearson (@nickpearson87) March 23, 2019
This morning, Berejiklian cast her vote at Willoughby Public School in Sydney’s north shore.
“NSW deserves a strong and stable government, if you look at our government compared to others around the country, we’ve done a good job at being strong and stable,” she told the media.
Opposition leader Michael Daley cast his vote at Chifley Public School in the city’s eastern suburbs.
“This is the day the people of NSW get to take their lives back after eight years of chaotic government,” he said.
