Labor wins NSW after 12 years, Chris Minns is 47th Premier

Labor has reclaimed government in NSW after more than a decade in Opposition, with Chris Minns set to become the state's 47th Premier following a decisive defeat of Dominic Perrottet's Liberal-National Coalition on Saturday.

The Labor victory marks a return to power after 12 years, with the last state election win coming in 2007. Early tallies showed Labor securing 47 of 93 seats, with final counts suggesting a majority government, while the Coalition's losses were substantial — the party dropped 19 seats and is projected to hold just 31 of the lower house.

In the immediate aftermath of defeat, Perrottet addressed supporters at Liberal Party headquarters late Saturday evening. The outgoing Premier, who had held the office since October 2021, took what he described as "full responsibility" for the election loss and announced his resignation as Liberal leader.

"The people of New South Wales have tonight decided to elect a Labor government into this state, and that is a decision that we respect," he said. Despite the outcome, Perrottet singled out Minns for praise, noting the Opposition leader had conducted a campaign of genuine substance — "a race to the top" and "a genuine battle of ideas."

The Coalition's losses included several seats it had held comfortably. Labor successfully reclaimed Riverstone, Leppington, South Coast, Heathcote, East Hills and Parramatta — once strongholds of the party during its 16-year stretch in Opposition. Penrith, held by former Liberal minister Stuart Ayres, also appeared to slip to Labor as counting progressed.

Minns, in his victory address, struck a notably inclusive tone. He acknowledged both major parties for maintaining what he called a "model of respect and civility," praising the electorate for focusing on policy substance rather than personal attacks. "Neither party took the low road," he said.

He reserved particular thanks for his deputy, Prue Carr, for the Labor campaign volunteers, and for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who had campaigned visibly in support. Minns also acknowledged frontline workers — hospital staff, teachers, emergency responders — who had borne the weight of the pandemic.

In his remarks, the incoming Premier outlined an agenda centred on supporting working families and delivering on key services, though he notably acknowledged the scale of challenges ahead. "There are many challenges facing the state of NSW over the next four years," he said, "but the team I lead is ready for the challenge and opportunities of government."

Albanese, witnessing the win from the stage, offered an unambiguous endorsement of his state Labor counterpart. He described Minns as embodying "vision, compassion, and integrity" — qualities, he suggested, that defined the Labor movement at its best.

The result breaks a long holding pattern in NSW politics. For 12 years, Labor had been confined to Opposition under successive Coalition governments. The election has now handed the party not merely a return to power, but a mandate to govern with a working majority, setting the stage for a significant shift in state policy direction over the coming term.