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.

[spotweldersfriend]

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@icyfroth wrote:

I agree Faun, I would have liked to see Gladys in the job as well.

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Only if she brought the Pips with her.

[freshwater-2]

Just an aside to all the rabid speculation, O'Farrell was not accused of any crime, corruption or any other malfeasance so please try to curb the sp---n vents.

Quite right SF.   He disgraced himself with his responses to legitimate questions.

His undoing was complerely his own....nobody else's.

Now, let's see how Baird handles hiimelf when it is hiis turn in the hot seat at the enqury.

[polksaladallie]

At least he doesn't have the same accent as his father.  

[silverfaun]

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Its funny reading the left trying to make more out of this than it is, the screams of delight and howls corruption where none exists.

The left on here who trumpeted their support for the worst government in Australia's history and are still too blind to wake up to what they really are, what they're there for, they are their to further themselves and line their pockets at the expense of the people.

The Labor party is rotten through and through.  This whole ICAC inquiry  is to root out the corruption in....wait for it....The Labor party and it's cronies.

The labor party has so corrupted the political landscape, so destroyed any trust in politicians that the Liberals have now become a casualty of Labors criminal activities,  a victim of Labor's total failure to limit themselves within the borders of decency and now their plague has spread to  people  who have had no part in Labor's crimes against the people of Australia.

The corruption in Labor went right to the top with  the National President of the Labor Party right  up to Prime Minister Gillard the PM of Australia no less.

Barry O'Farrell made a mistake, he is not corrupt, he did not grant permission for Sydney water (a Labor Obead family entity) and he did not profit from anything.

The only thing O'Farrell is guilty of is being a decent man.

It's Easter,  try to have a bit of decency and mercy for a man who made a mistake, admitted it  and has paid dearly for it, that's more than can be said for Thomson and Williamson now isn't it?

Happy Easter.

[colic2bullsgirlore]

Mike Baird is being interviewed on channel 10 now..... the interviewer queried

" Congatulations Mr Baird on being elected Premier of NSW yesterday.... If I may ask... How did you celebrate last night?

....did you, by chance, uncork an old bottle of wine?"

[i-need-a-martini]

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@silverfaun wrote:

Don't like him and loathe his father. Gladys was the best candidate IMO.

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I am not sure that I agree that Berejiklian was the best candidate. I liked her but I think she is a bit green. And she has only ever held the Transport portfolio. Not enough breadth.

Mike Baird can't last. He has already had too many question marks over his head and is too much of a wheeler and dealer. At least O'Farrell had strong values regardless of whether I agreed or not. 

But I DID like Bruce Baird. He was my member when I lived in Cronulla and he was extremely well liked and approachable. And he had the guts to say what he thought. I recall a few confrontations with Ruddock and Howard over issues he disagreed with. Can you imagine politicians doing that today?

[debra9275]

The Labor party is rotten through and through.  This whole ICAC inquiry  is to root out the corruption in....wait for it....The Labor party and it's cronies.

well that sure backfired.  I bet the Libs will  now be looking for ways to limit ICAC's powers

[i-need-a-martini]

Actually the ICAC enquiry is very specifically about soliciting and concealing payments related to Australian Water Holdings.

It isn't about identifying corruption in the either the Labor Party or the Liberal Party.

It just so happens that many members of BOTH parties are embroiled.

[debra9275]

yes. realistically it does concern both parties and I hope all involved are weeded out

[silverfaun]

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.