O'Farrell inching closer to historic NSW win

[*Yibida*]

UPDATE: 8.17pm LABOR is now predicted to keep just 19 seats in the Lower House to the Coalition's 71 with the swing now topping 17 per cent.

It is unclear when Kristina Keneally will concede to the state's incoming leader Barry O'Farrell.

Labor campaign spokesman Luke Foley says the Labor vote has collapsed, a third of people who voted for them in 2007 have abandoned the party today.

"This is a massacre, a slaughter, the likes of which we have never seen sadly, for my party," Mr Foley said.

He said the "bloodbath" was the result of "white hot anger" against the government.

The imminent defeat of the government was the result of "accumulated dysfunction over four years."

[*Brum6y*]

It is unclear whether Kristina Keneally will be re-elected in her seat.

Graham Richardson even said "results like this are unbelievable".

I'm not a big follower if the political ins and outs, but the message is clear - NSW has a change of government, through a massive swing.

... and dear old Rob Oakeshott has tainted the image of all independents - especially those in his region.

[*Yibida*]

8.43pm Kristina Keneally has just arrived at her post-election function to concede defeat.

8.38pm: The Liberals are now slightly ahead in former Premier Nathan Rees's seat of Toongabbie.

8.34pm: There are rumours that Premier Kristina Keneally will not concede defeat until the completion of Earth Hour at 9.30pm.

8.29pm: Is the the result you expected? Leave a comment below.

8.27pm: Graham Annesley from NRL referee to parliament.

8.22pm: You can get the Tally Room results on the Official site.

8.15pm: There is still no sign of Premier Kristina Keneally. Considering it's Earth Hour, if she doesn't concede by 8.30pm she might be reading her speech in the dark. The NSW Greens will be watching the results come in by candlelight.

8.14pm: The champagne has already started flowing at the Liberal "party" at Parramatta Leagues Club. Still no sign of Kristina Keneally conceding.

8.13pm: I think we've heard this before. Former One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, who is running for the NSW upper house in the state election, says she won't stand again if she doesn't win.

8.11pm: Labor's campaign spokesman Luke Foley: "We won one more term than we deserved, clearly, because we haven't lived up to the expectations of the community, or Labor voters... over the last four years."

8.10pm: Outgoing NSW Labor MP and minister Joe Tripodi says the media has been unfair to the Labor government and played a big part in its downfall.

8.09pm: Labor's Paul Pearce has conceded the seat of Coogee to Liberal Bruce Notley-Smith. Pearce says "electricity privatisation" was the main issue in Labor's defeat.

8.06pm: Labor is behind in its "heartland" East Hills electorate. The Greens now ahead in Verity Firth's Labor seat of Balmain.

8.04pm: 7NEWS looks at the seats the Liberals have gained.

8.01pm: The Keneally Labor government is headed for a massacre after failing the electorate over the past four years, according to the party's campaign spokesman Luke Foley.

[*Brum6y*]

Now there is another Election 

How do you think Krissie will go on Saturday?

Pretty quickly.

Before Earth Hour is my guess....

8.43pm Kristina Keneally has just arrived at her post-election function to concede defeat.

I was close..........

[bnwt]

............... and look at the massive swing to the greens


1.4%


oh dear Joooliar ............ time for a rethink

[*Yibida*]

This result will make em clean the carbon outta their ears .... I predict in the next few days the labor party are going to look like a circus .... stay tuned for all the back flips and " No you all misunderstood us we meant there will be no carbon tax " .....  

[*CountessA*]

Congratulations to all who voted out a sadly incompetent government in NSW.

I hope with all my heart that the newly elected government will achieve much better things for the state.

New NSW premier Barry O'Farrell has promised the state's voters that his coalition government will not let the state down.

"This is the victory for everyone who wanted to make NSW number one again," he told jubilant supporters in at the party's celebrations in western Sydney.

"I am incredibly proud of today's historic and unprecedented result.

"I want to thank all the people of the state for putting their trust in the NSW Liberals and Nationals.

"And I promise we won't let you down."

Mr O'Farrell paid tribute to ousted premier Kristina Keneally, who has announced she is standing down as Labor leader.

"... a skilled communicator, an energetic campaigner, and as (Bob Hawke) Hawkie said - a gutsy campaigner."

The O'Farrell government is the first coalition government in 16 years.

The coalition is likely to have an overwhelming majority in the new parliament after Labor suffered a 17 per cent swing against it.

Labor may end up with as few as 20 seats in the 93-seat parliament.

Mr O'Farrell promised he would govern for all, not just sectional interests.

"We Liberals can represent anyone," he said.

"We have won seats we never dreamed of winning.

"The government I lead will govern for all people."

Mr O'Farrell said there were 100 policies to implement, with his Nationals partners, on health, transport and services.

"There are many people who voted ... who have never done anything except vote Labor," he added.

"We will deliver.

"It won't be easy, it won't be done overnight.

"We need to do it together, we can do it together and we will."

Mr O'Farrell also promised his government would be honest and accountable, fix the roads and rail, and grow the economy.

"We will deliver the confident, limitless future we all seek for ourselves and our children," he said.

"We are determined to end the rorts, to restore confidence in the government in this state once again."

Mr O'Farrell also warned the federal Labor government he would fight its planned carbon emissions tax.

"We will take up the fight to Canberra on the threat posed to families' budgets and NSW jobs by Labor's carbon tax we were promised would never happen."

His threat made the crowd roar, and they loudly chanted his name.

"My team's determined to ensure that government works for you and not against the interests of the people of this state.

"We will settle for nothing less than again making our state the best place in the best country on the whole of this earth, and making NSW number one again."

Mr O'Farrell thanked his wife and two sons, saying he couldn't have done it without them.

"Those who have shared the journey. Those who have suffered the slings and arrows, the attacks and at times the innuendo," he said.

"They're the people I love, Rosemary, Tom and Will. I thank them from the depths of my heart."

Mr O'Farrell also thanked the "incredibly patient" people of his northern Sydney electorate of Ku-ring-gai for their generosity.

"It put up with me now for a long time, it put up with a lot over the last four years as I've had to spend more time across this state, because they understood and they know that you can't have real change in Ku-ring-gai unless there is real change across the state.

"But I can't be premier unless I'm first a member for Ku-ring-gai."

He named some of the many seats the coalition had won, such as Parramatta, Campbelltown, Charlestown, Kiama, Maitland, Bathurst and Dubbo.

"All those seats understood, that today, and on this historic day, there would be no real change in NSW unless people voted for good Liberal and National Party candidates, and I got into that category too," he said.

[*r3830*]

Barry O'Farrell, in his victory speech, stated that he and his government will fight against the Gillard Carbon Tax proposal. As I recall, it was Ms Keneally who made this into a referendum on the Carbon Tax - where she declared her governments support for the proposal. O'Farrell stated that the Libs were against it. Interestingly, the voters changed from Labor to Liberal / NP..... not to the Greens or Independents. I wonder if Mr Brown noticed that?

Seats in the Hunter, Newcastle particularly and Bathurst changed hands with swings of 26%+. These are the areas affected by the proposed mining tax. The Illawarra followed the same trend.

The future should be most interesting!

[*Brum6y*]

Interestingly, the voters changed from Labor to Liberal / NP..... not to the Greens or Independents. I wonder if Mr Brown noticed that?

From the commentary I heard, it would seem Rob Oakeshott has cast a shadow over all Independents to the point where their position as being an intermediate choice has been changed to one of 'can we trust an Independent?' ... making it safer to completely cross over, because you at least know what the position is of a party candidate.

[Poddy]

OH DEAR !!!

[Poddy]

I feel for JOOLYA!!

[Poddy]

Contempt that is not only is the nation being destroyed by the Queen of Blades JOOLYA!! and the 40 Theives now the fall out of her stupid behaviour and perversity has killed off her own party at state level.

[bnwt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLRtc5Qf2QU&feature=relmfu

[*r3830*]

Interestingly, the voters changed from Labor to Liberal / NP..... not to the Greens or Independents. I wonder if Mr Brown noticed that?

From the commentary I heard, it would seem Rob Oakeshott has cast a shadow over all Independents to the point where their position as being an intermediate choice has been changed to one of 'can we trust an Independent?' ... making it safer to completely cross over, because you at least know what the position is of a party candidate.

Not only Rob Oakshott brum..... check out the damage to the independent who was in Tamworth.... Mr Windsor's area...... GONE! Resoundingly! SERIOUS congrats to the people of Parramatta ..... a 25% swing!

Queenslands opportunity is not that far off either. If the mining tax trend there well......

One thing that has been annoying me badly since the protest in Canberra. Ms Gillard dismissed the people present at the protest by stating that she had ten thousand union member signatures IN SUPPORT of the Carbon Tax. I couldn't get my head around the thought that these signatures were from the people who would be most affected by this thing. I wasn't asked (as a union member) to sign a petition...... which I most certainly would not have - and nor were my colleagues. Makes me wonder - did the unions simply tally up their memberships and hand these numbers over as supporters? The election results from some of the most unionised electorates were in fact, massive swings to the Libs & NP. Still doesn't make sense.... based on the results. Me thinks some bars-tard speaketh with forked tongue!

[chookcity]

Watch out, Dinosaurs about. 

[*r3830*]

.... And those BRILLIANT Federal Government people state that they had nothing to do with the NSW result! I'm going to send that mob a truckload of laxatives. They're full of sh!t!

[*CountessA*]

It seems to me like many connected issues all contributing to a total situation.

R3830, when I was in Sydney two weeks ago, I was struck by the number of political flyers stuck to every conceivable surface. It seemed to me that the Labor party (Ms Keneally's face showing) outnumbered the other flyers quite considerably.

Is that a correct perception? Or was I imagining it?

[*r3830*]

Countess - you would be quite correct. The unions pushed hard to support Labor..... and Ms Keneally did look a touch more attractive than did Mr O'Farrell. But, that's about where it ended. The Labor government was without substance. Not once did they attempt to share their achievements over the past fifteen years. The emphasis was all based around -You can't trust the other bloke! He'll bring back workchoices! (funny - that was a Federal policy - but it frightened people as was the desired effect)

I feel disappointed for Ms Keneally. She was handed the reigns fifteen months ago, when nobody else wanted the responsibility. She was more a caretaker, holding the position until yesterdays election. Unfortunately, she was the person clobbered for the past sixteen years of scandal, inaction and non-performance of the party. Really, not her fault - and I do have a problem with her taking responsibility for matters that occurred well before her time.

Ironically, the person tipped to assume the opposition leader role is a bloke named Robertson. This is the same fella who ended the career of one Morris Iemma, over the privatisation of electricity in NSW. Robertson claimed to be absolutely against the privatisation. Yet, when placed in the position, reversed his view and supported and encouraged the sell-off. The man is a hypocrite. But then - these people are very slow learners.

[*Ubbie Max*]

I, for the first time in my voting life did not vote Labour on Saturday.

I also voted for the Shooters & fishers in the Senate.

I hate the Greens. They are trying to destroy recreational fishing in Australia.

[*r3830*]

And I followed your precise example Ubbs! (the 2nd time I've not voted Labor!)

[*r3830*]

This article pretty much says it all!

The knives are out - and sharp in Labor

A SHATTERED Labor turned on itself yesterday, with the man tipped as the next Opposition leader savaged as "not having the intellect" to be an "alternative premier".

John Robertson was attacked by both former treasurer Michael Costa and ex-premier Morris Iemma, who said Carmel Tebbutt, Michael Daley, Verity Firth and even Nathan Rees were better choices to lead.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/the-knives-are-out-and-sharp-in-labor/story-e6freuy9-1226029017314

[ernest_price]

Robertson's biggest problem is his 'normal way of doing business' just won' work at such a public level of scrutiny he's going to be at now. Better suited to dark alleys and brown paper bags. He'll be ineffectual at best as he just has no experience in negotiating - just demanding.

[*CountessA*]

"Dark alleys and brown paper bags" - oh dear. I couldn't smother a wicked grin at that image.

[ernest_price]

I did paint a bad picture there.

In reality, most of it was usually done [yes actually with brown paper bags - not joking there] in well lit offices or 'sponsorship' of an event.

Then it turned into housing and commercial development.

While clearly having my Einfield 'grandiose opinion of self' moment, I've actually seen it. Or is that my Blade Runner "Roy' moment ["I've seen things you people wouldn't believe..."] ?

.. and some people wonder why I'm cynical about the whole Labor party roots.

[ernest_price]

... and VERY disappointed to hear about the Treasury numbers last night. Roozendaal made it clear a month ago that there was 'nothing hiding' in the NSW state accounts. I know, what else is any outgoing Treasurer going to say, but i believed him.

Now we hear that there is $1.5 BILLION missing - why wasn't it public?  Paraphrased reply from the Treasury official -  "we were concerned that we might lose the state AAA credit rating when we took these numbers around late last year to the market in Australia and Overseas".

Exit one Treasury official on "immediate leave" as of last night.

[bnwt]

I'm sorry


earlier I said the Greens had a massive swing of 1.4%

I was wrong

the swing is in fact 0.9%

[*CountessA*]

You disappoint me deeply, BNWT. I was so hoping the Greens could pick up that startling and significant 1.4%. 

[callostemma]

  0.09% too much.   Can we find out who they are and send on a one way trip to Iran/afghanistan/Irac  etc.  may as well keep all the 
in the one place