Labor enjoyed a resounding victory at the NSW election over the weekend, securing a slim parliamentary majority as it defeated a Coalition government that had been in power for 12 years.
The election was also a win for women, with Labor’s women candidates running successful campaigns to make up the majority of new MPs in the new government.
As counting continues, Labor has so far picked up 10 seats, with 7 of these seats won by women. These women include Sally Quinnell in Camden, Kylie Wilkinson in East Hills, Donna Davis in Parramatta, Karen McKeown in Penrith, Liza Butler in the South Coast, Maryanne Stuart in Heathcote, and Lyndal Howison in Ryde.
In Kiama, where the result remains too close to call, Labor candidate Katelin McInerney is marginally ahead.
The most recent figures show that in the NSW legislative assembly, women have secured 22 of Labor’s 45 seats or 49 per cent. This comes in vastly ahead of the Coalition, where women have won 7 of the Coalition’s 28 seats. These figures are not final as a handful of seats are still too close to call.
The new NSW Premier is yet to officially announce who will form his cabinet, but last week he told Women’s Agenda that if he was elected as premier, his cabinet would be the first in NSW history to be 48 per cent female. He also noted if you took him out, the cabinet would be majority women.
Labor’s deputy leader (and now NSW Deputy Premier) Prue Car will certainly be in cabinet, and is likely to become Education Minister. Jo Haylen is expected to become Transport Minister, while Penny Sharpe is expected to be named Environment Minister.
This election has also seen the largest crossbench in modern NSW history elected, with the overall minor-party and independent vote sitting at a record high of over 28 per cent.
As counting continues, three female independent candidates remain tight races with the Liberal Party. These include Jacqui Scruby in Pittwater, Larissa Penn in Willoughby and Judy Hannan in Wollondilly, where results for these seats may not be known for days or weeks.