Ruling coalition set to win in New South Wales

SYDNEY: The Liberal-National government has won a third term in office in Australia’s New South Wales, Sky News declared after analysing early vote counting in the state’s election.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian was on track to form government, and a win for the Labour opposition was looking “nearly impossible”, Sky said about two hours after polls closed at 6pm yesterday in Australia’s largest state.

Still, her government may fall short of the 47 seats it needs to claim a majority win and could need the support of minor parties to rule, it said.

A win would give the government another four years at the helm of a state that’s frequently topped economic indicators including growth, unemployment, construction work and household spending since the coalition took stewardship in 2011.

It will be welcomed by Berejiklian’s Liberal-National colleagues in Scott Morrison’s coalition government.

The prime minister has struggled to cut through with voters since becoming national leader in August amid voter concern his party’s infighting has derailed policy progress, and faces his own elections in May that opinion polls show he’s on track to lose to Labour.

A victory will give Berejiklian, 48, a chance to put her stamp on the leadership since taking it on two years ago.

Cost over-runs to the government’s multibillion-dollar infrastructure spend on highways and public transport in Sydney appeared to have damaged her credibility, while outside of Australia’s largest city, some regional voters in the state bigger than Texas expressed concern they were missing out on the largess flowing into the state capital.

Despite those concerns, the premier has still managed to win over the support after some astute decisions in recent times.

Both Berejiklian and Labour leader Michael Daley, 53, are expected to deliver speeches to their supporters in Sydney today. — Bloomberg