NSW Labor has moved ahead of the Coalition in the race to a parliamentary majority, according to recent polling. The news marks six months until the NSW state election, which is set to happen in March next year.
The Labor opposition is perched ahead of the government 54-to-46 per cent on a two-party preferred basis, according to a Newspoll commissioned by the Weekend Australian.
A result like this on election day would represent a six per cent increase in support for Labor compared to the previous election. Back in 2019, the then Gladys Berejiklian-led government won a third consecutive state election.
Meanwhile, on primary vote Labor leads the Coalition 43 per cent to 30 per cent as per the Sydney Morning Herald‘s Resolve Political Monitor.
Importantly, both leaders — NSW Labor’s Chris Minns and the Coalition’s Dominic Perrottet — are tied at 28 per cent in the preferred leader category with a whopping 44 per cent undecided, according to Resolve.
While it’s too early to tell if early polling will reflect 2023’s state election voting patterns, the swing against the current government could be for a few reasons.
The Liberal-National Coalition has held government for the past 11 years. During this time, it has fumbled more balls than its hometown AFL team, the Sydney Swans, did on grand final day.
Voters have witnessed a tonne of bureaucratic, economic and environmental mismanagement.
They’ve seen the Perrottet government respond poorly to protests and strikes over teacher pay, rail worker conditions, and nurse/midwife understaffing.
Plus, there’s been some really weird shit going on that has made the government appear incredibly out of touch.
Stuff like encouraging people to watch Charles III’s proclamation in the Sydney CBD (??) and the cabinet becoming approximately three-quarters white dudes seemingly overnight. Backwards steps, we reckon.
On the other hand, NSW Labor leader Chris Minns is beginning to find his feet in the eyes of the voting public.
After offering a string of progressive policy alternatives and effectively communicating the failings of the Coalition, Minns is slowly building a platform that everyday, working NSW folk are taking notice of.
Right now in this state – we don’t have enough teachers to fill classrooms.
That doesn’t just spell poor schools, it also spells a poorer education for our kids.
In October last year – Dominic Perrottet promised us 3,700 new teachers.
He’s only delivered 27. pic.twitter.com/XlIuIRbbCt
— Chris Minns (@ChrisMinnsMP) September 1, 2022
A government I lead will ban privatisation.
Why?
Because it does not work.
— Chris Minns (@ChrisMinnsMP) September 16, 2022
This announcement is big – when I promised we’d to tackle this health crisis, I meant it.
So today I’m announcing that we will set minimum and enforceable safe staffing levels in hospitals.
Delivering an additional 1,200 nurses and midwives recruited into the system. pic.twitter.com/ht1WQBILX0
— Chris Minns (@ChrisMinnsMP) September 20, 2022
NSW has the 2nd lowest number of paramedics and they are the lowest paid.
The bottom line is we need more paramedics.
And that’s what we will deliver.
— Chris Minns (@ChrisMinnsMP) September 18, 2022
Over 30 yrs ago, these NSW built trains entered service – commissioned by Neville Wran, they’re built to last.
We can and we should build things here in NSW again.
And a government I lead will do just that. pic.twitter.com/stC7Fzb9Fo
— Chris Minns (@ChrisMinnsMP) August 16, 2022
The NSW state election will be held on March 25, 2023.
The Victorian election is also fast approaching and will be conducted on November 26, 2022.
