Mike Baird Set To Become NSW premier

[icyfroth]

NSW Treasurer Mike Baird is expected to replace Barry O'Farrell as premier.

The Liberal Party room will meet at 3pm on Thursday when it is expected Mr Baird will be elected unopposed as the state's 44th premier.

After Mr O'Farrell on Wednesday spectacularly announced his resignation from the top job, Mr Baird and Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian emerged as favourites to replace him.

Liberal sources said Ms Berejiklian had the slight edge over her rival in the party room, but in the end, she decided to run for deputy leader on a joint ticket with Mr Baird.

Her decision avoids a messy factional fight between the party's left, who are strongly backing Ms Berejiklian, and the right, who were lining up behind Mr Baird.

Health Minister Jillian Skinner and western Sydney MP Stuart Ayres have publicly thrown their support behind the Baird/Berejiklian ticket.

Community Services Minister Pru Goward pulled out of the running for the deputy position, only hours after saying she would nominate.

At Thursday's meeting, Liberal MPs will formally accept Mr O'Farrell's resignation and confirm the new premier.

If Mr Baird is successful, he will become the state's sixth premier in almost 10 years.

Mr Baird said earlier that maintaining party unity was important.

"It is important that we all come together, clearly unity has been a hallmark of what we have been about in the past few years," he told the Seven Network.

Mr O'Farrell has previously named Ms Berejiklian as the best candidate to succeed him.

But Mr Baird has the backing of right faction MPs, who have been impressed with his aggressive push to privatise the state's assets.

Mr Baird is the son of Bruce Baird, who was a lower house federal MP in John Howard's government, and represents the northern beaches electorate of Manly.

Ms Berejiklian is the daughter of Armenian immigrants and holds the north shore electorate of Willoughby.

After the ballot, a ministerial reshuffle will be on the cards.

But, in line with a coalition agreement, the role of deputy premier will still be held by Nationals MP Andrew Stoner.

Mr O'Farrell resigned after giving misleading evidence to the Independent Commission Against Corruption about a $3000 bottle of wine.

From Here

But Mr Baird has the backing of right faction MPs, who have been impressed with his aggressive push to privatise the state's assets.

Omg out of the frying pan into the fire. I wonder if  BOF had to go to make room for a more amenable to privatisation premier.

[debra9275]

they gave a cushy job to a liberal party donor who didn't even have the proper experience ..... that's just for starters

[spotweldersfriend]

And the answer to that is Sinnerdinos,O'Farrell, possibly Newman and Hartcher and.....?

Regardless of who gets criminally charged (who believes there was no govt. involvement in AWB?) in the court of public opinion,these guys are corrupt and the publics the one that decides ultimately who's fit to govern.

[i-need-a-martini]

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@silverfaun wrote:

Please supply proof of corruption by Liberal MP's that ICAC has uncovered and consequently will inform police so that criminal charges may be laid.

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By the same token, please supply proof of corruption by Labor Mps that ICAC has uncovered  and consequently will inform police that criminal charges may be laid?

I'll answer your question for you. None.

That is none on either side. YET!

However, aside from Obeid and MacDonald very few other Labor MPs have been embroiled in Obeids shonkiness. On the other hand we have senior Liberals falling or on the verge of falling - O'Farrell, Sino...