The Liberal Party met at 3pm on Thursday to elect the next Premier of New South Wales. Here's how it unfolded.
Welcome to our coverage of Thursday's meeting of the NSW Liberal Party, charged with selecting a new Premier for the state.
While Mike Baird is widely expected to assume the top job, there is a bit more confusion as to who his deputy will be.
Gladys Berejiklian is the front-runner, although the NSW right is believed to be unhappy with the prospect of two leaders from the left of the party taking control.
However, in breaking news, we can confirm energy minister Anthony Roberts, originally touted as a contender from the right, has chosen not to run. So that might open Berejiklian's path.
He's yet to get the job - officially at least - but prospective premier Mike Baird has 10 questions he must address asap, according to Herald State Political Editor Sean Nicholls.
The number one question?
What was your precise role in the appointment of Liberal fund-raiser Nick Di Girolamo to the board of State Water Corporation in mid-2012, how many times have you met him and what gifts have you accepted from him?
Liberal Party figures are gathering now at the Macquarie Room of the NSW Parliament to elect their new leader.
It seems like the result of both positions is a foregone conclusion. Anthony Roberts, of the party's right, has thrown his support behind Gladys Berejiklian to become deputy, having earlier withdrawn from the ballot.
The 43rd premier of New South Wales, one Barry O'Farrell, has arrived at the Macquarie Room where he will chair the meeting to choose his successor.
Still currently the premier, Mr O'Farrell will resign his position and then call for a ballot to follow in his footsteps.
Alex Greenwich shares a somewhat disturbing statistic, coupled with a back-pat for one of his big supporters, Clover Moore.
In 10 years we've had 6 Premiers (3 were elected by the people) in the same time we've had stable leadership of 1 elected Lord Mayor #nswpol — Alex Greenwich MP (@AlexGreenwich) April 17, 2014
What do you know about the man expected to be the next NSW premier?
Eighteen months ago, Good Weekend's Stephanie Wood wrote this in-depth profile of the Member for Manly, Mike Baird. A selection of facts:
- a former investment banker
- studied to become a Christian minister
- married, with three children
- patrols in red and yellow for Queenscliff SLSC
- excelled at cricket and baseball and is handy with a sports statistic.
- father Bruce Baird served in both the Greiner state government and Howard federal government
Former state and federal government MP Bruce Baird, father of Mike, spoke to Sky News earlier about his mixed emotions over the past day and a half.
Bruce Baird was transport minister in the government of Nick Greiner when he had a chief of staff named Barry O'Farrell. Now, his son Mike Baird has been elected to replace O'Farrell.
Mike Baird has been elected as leader of the Liberal Party of NSW, and will be Premier.
No surprises there.
A party official has confirmed Mr Baird was elected unopposed, as was his deputy, Gladys Berejiklian.
So while Mike Baird has been elected leader of the Liberal Party, the meeting at the NSW Parliament continues.
Mr Baird is expected to address the media at the conclusion of the meeting, but that might be a little while away.
All done. Announcement from whip that Baird and Berejiklian are leader and deputy. Both unopposed. pic.twitter.com/7zyrH6JGUp — Lee Jeloscek (@jeloscek) April 17, 2014
Ok, jackpot... cracker photo of new NSW Premier Mike Baird about to totally noggin the Prime Minister at Manly pic.twitter.com/i5grbAxmI3 — Mark Di Stefano (@MarkDiStef) April 17, 2014
This is slightly spooky. At a federal level we now have a Prime Minister who's the member for Warringah and a Treasurer who's the member for North Sydney.
At a state level, we have a soon-to-be Premier who's the member for Manly and a deputy who's the member for Willoughby.
Sydney's north shore is clearly the home of power, for now at least.
Congratulations @mikebairdMP: your first task is to clean out the lobbyists #icac #nswpol http://t.co/JUc5Vfw6IL — Lock the Gate (@LockTheGate) April 17, 2014
It took less than 15 minutes to elect Mike Baird as the new Premier of NSW #nswpol — brigid glanville (@brigidglanville) April 17, 2014
So the main talking point out of today's Liberal Party meeting - other than the selection of our new premier, of course - was a joke that was cracked as Mike Baird and Gladys Berejiklian walked into the room.
As they walked in side by side, Barry O'Farrell reportedly piped up:
"You're late. As a consequence, Gareth Ward has been elected Premier unopposed."
The room burst into laughter.
Mr Ward, the acting Speaker, entered state Parliament in 2011 as the Member for Kiama, on the south coast.
It's a little dated now, but here is a photo of the Baird family all together after the newly elected Premier was first elected to the seat of Manly in 2007.
Only seven years to get to the top job - not a bad effort.
Sounds like Barry O'Farrell was a barrel of laughs at today's meeting. First came the joke about the state's next premier (see 3.51pm post), then this.
BOF spoke to the partyroom. He stressed unity, focus + discipline. He joked that he'd go w/ MP's to any NRL match but not Roosters games. — Paul Murray (@PMOnAir) April 17, 2014
Soon to be a stand-up comedy club near you?
Member for North Shore Jillian Skinner is speaking to Sky News' David Speers from NSW Parliament.
She says it was "genuinely her own decision" to stand aside as party deputy for Gladys Berejiklian.
However, she says she is still very keen to stay on as Health Minister and stand for re-election next year.
The deputy premier, Nationals leader Andrew Stoner, has welcomed the election of a new premier.
‘‘The Nationals fully support the incoming Premier and, together with the Liberals, are committed to providing strong, stable and responsible government for NSW,’’ Mr Stoner said.
He praised Mr Baird’s term as treasurer, saying he delivered on $13 billion for regional infrastructure.
‘‘Since being elected in March 2011, the NSW Liberals and Nationals have worked tirelessly to turn this state around with NSW now creating more new jobs than any other state and new roads, rail lines and hospitals under construction,’’ he said.
So we are getting very close to Mike Baird's first press conference since being selected as the next Premier of NSW.
Stand by...
Mike Baird has told the press it is "an honour to lead NSW" and to work alongside "my good mate" Gladys Berejiklian.
He says, "We are shocked and saddened by the events of the last 48 hours."
But adds that Barry O'Farrell has done a "great job".
Baird has given a staunch defence of the Liberal Party's record during its three years in office, talking about how when they assumed government the state was lagging others on many indicators, whereas "we are today leading the nation".
"Economic growth, we were last. We're now first.
"Jobs growth, a critical measure. We were last, we're now first."
Now addressing the controversy of the past 48 hours, Mr Baird says his predecessor as premier, Barry O'Farrell, is a "man of integrity".
"We will in coming days and weeks have more to say about additional measures to restore confidence in government."
"I don't want to just stabilise NSW, I want to transform it," Baird says.
"When you come to the 2015 election, you will not just vote for us because we are not NSW Labor..."
Mr Baird said Mr O'Farrell was in good spirits and was not talking about quitting politics.
"He certainly wants to continue in his role as local member," he said.
Mr Baird said he had consulted his family before accepting the job, and had received its blessing.
"If you want to do this, you have to put your heart and soul into it."
Regarding fundraising or lobbying, Mr Baird said: "We have to take some additional actions."
"We need trust in government," he said.
He did not rule out taking to the 2015 election a policy of selling of the remaining "poles and wires" of the state's electricity industry.
Asked about his cabinet, Mr Baird said the party would need stability and experience.
"But clearly there will be some changes," he said.
Gladys Berejiklian has announced that she will retain the transport portfolio.
As deputy leader, Ms Berejiklian had her choice of portfolios.
No word, then, on who will be Treasurer, or whether Mike Baird himself might try and continue in the job as well as being Premier.
That wraps up the first press conference of Mike Baird as Liberal leader and soon-to-be Premier.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has congratulated Mr Baird and Ms Berejiklian, and paid tribute to outgoing premier Barry O’Farrell.
‘‘There is no greater honour than to serve the people you are elected to represent at the very highest level, and Mike will be a fine leader for NSW,’’ Mr Abbott said in a statement.
‘‘I have known Mike for many years and I know he will discharge his responsibilities with integrity and honour.’’
A snapshot of some of the conversation happening on Twitter about our newly elected state leadership.
Go us...NSW is heading north under Mike Baird...made money as treasurer...ideas man ...fresh image...am so bullish about our great state !! — Kerry O'Keeffe (@kokeeffe49) April 17, 2014
Sorry Mr Baird NSW govt has no money, u r building infrastructure based on shonky deals done with big business. Lets be transparent #nswpol — Schtang (@Schtang) April 17, 2014
Gladys Berejiklian Deputy Premier - a victory for multiculturalism! @GBerejiklianmp #multiculturalism — Vic Alhadeff (@VicAlhadeff) April 17, 2014
Alas, Gladys Berejiklian never had a chance for leadership. The party would not accept a woman for the job. #nswpol — Tateru Nino (@taterunino) April 17, 2014
Winners are grinners.
And so after the drama of Wednesday, today ran a little bit more smoothly for the NSW Liberal Party.
Initial talk of a leadership contest between Mike Baird and Gladys Berejiklian was discounted early, when the latter withdrew her candidacy to focus on becoming deputy. This was unwelcome news to the right of the party, but they appeared to be later mollified, as Pru Goward and Anthony Roberts withdrew from the race to be deputy.
This allowed Baird and Berejiklian to be elected unopposed to head the party.
Baird then gave a confident first press conference where he announced he didn't just want to stabilise NSW, but "transform it". (An attempt to distance himself from O'Farrell's reputation as a plodder, perhaps?)
Ms Berejiklian announced she would stay on as transport minister, rather than take on the treasury portfolio, while Mr O'Farrell is going to continue in politics, presumably on the back bench.
Quote of the day goes to Mr O'Farrell, for his joke as the two future leaders walked into a party room meeting.
"You're late. As a consequence, Gareth Ward has been elected Premier unopposed."
This ends our live blog. For a wrap of the day's events, click here.
