NSW voters will head to the polls today to decide who will lead Australia’s biggest state for the next four years.
The barbecues will be heating up ready for the democaracy sausages as polls opened at 8am on Saturday.
More than one million people have already entered their vote after early polling opened a week ago.
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Dominic Perrottet, who became premier 18 months ago following Gladys Berejiklian’s resignation, is hoping to defy the odds and lead the Liberal-Nationals coalition to a record fourth term.
But Labor’s Chris Minns is likely to be NSW’s next premier with The Australian Newspoll, released on Saturday, pointing to Labor securing a narrow majority government.
Both leaders were out and about as soon as polls opened on Saturday.
Despite the mounting pressure, Minns said he had a full night’s sleep the night before.
“It was pretty good. One of the first nights in a while,” he told the Today show.
“I don’t know whether that’s a good or bad omen. We’re on the booths right and early. Just rallying everybody to get out and vote for the local candidates. It’s time for a change.”
Despite the promising Newspoll results, Mr Minns said he wasn’t taking anything for granted.
“I can promise everybody who is watching at home today, we are taking absolutely nothing for granted.
“We know it’s the people of NSW decisions and basically polls at this point aren’t worth anything because people actually have to get out and vote. So we’re hopeful.
“We’re going into this election with a hungry but humble philosophy, if you like, but it’s up to the people of NSW and we’re fighting for every vote.”
While appearing on Sunrise on Saturday Mr Perrottet made a last minute dig at his opponent for hitting the campaign trail with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
He had been asked why he had been seen campaigning with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and replied: “I don’t need a wing man”.
“This is an election on NSW issues. It is a NSW election. I am focused on the issues that matter to people across our state.”
The Coalition government holds 45 seat – 33 for the Liberals and 12 for the Nationals, Labor 36, the Greens three, while there are nine independents, including two former Liberal MPs.
Labor went into Saturday’s election needing to win at least nine seats to claim government.
But Newspoll’s two-party-preferred result of 54.5-45.5 represents a 6.5 per cent swing against the Coalition, which would give Labor up to 10 extra seats.
That would give Labor the 47 seats for a majority without the support of the crossbench, but a uniform swing is doubtful.
In another boost for Labor, Mr Minns has scored a two-point leader as preferred premier over Mr Perrottet for the first time in this Newspoll.
Mr Minns, who was relatively unknown going into the campaign, scored a big win in the final debate of the campaign on Wednesday, when he and Mr Perrottet met head-to-head in the Sky News / The Daily Telegraph People’s Forum.
Out of 100 undecided voters, 48 said they had been swayed to vote for the Opposition, 32 chose the Coalition and 20 remained undecided.
Both leaders were campaigning hard right up to the end on Friday.
Mr Perrottet, who spent some time out of Sydney earlier in the week, was campaigning in Liberal-held seats on Friday, including Willoughby – once held by Ms Berejiklian — Drummoyne, Ryde and Penrith. Penrith is a marginal seat, but the others are usually considered safe Liberal.
Mr Minns, looking more confident as election day neared, was also out making a last minute charm offensive to win over votes.
He’s also had the whole-hearted backing of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who is still a vote puller 10 months after leading Labor to a federal win.
Federal Liberal leader Peter Dutton has not made a single appearance on the NSW campaign trail, instead focusing on campaigning for the federal Melbourne seat of Aston.
If the coalition loses Saturday’s election, it will mean every mainland state and federal government will be Labor. Only Tasmania will have a Liberal government.
The NSW Electoral Commission says 1,199,121 million people had already voted by Friday. Voting on Saturday closes at 6pm.
Counting will start immediately and finish at 10.30pm and resume on Monday.
