We all knew the trainwreck was coming, but you have to see it to believe it, and today the voters of New South Wales told the state ALP their opinion on the government’s performance over recent years.
Labor has suffered possibly the biggest defeat in Australian political history, with a swing against it of about 17%. In some electorates in Sydney, more than 25% of voters changed from voting Labor at the past election to Liberal at today’s. As of tonight it seems the former government will hold only 20 seats in the 93 seat parliament. Previously it held 50.
State Premier, Kristina Keneally conceded defeat to Liberal leader Barry O’Farrell, who will be the new Premier. She also announced that she will stand down as party leader. I actually think that she has performed ok as premier since she was appointed to the role at the end of 2009. But the legacy of all the incompetence, scandals and infighting amongst Labor party politicians and officials over the years was always going to see her beaten.
Having said that I thought she’s performed alright, I also always felt that she was all show and not much substance. Like she was sent out to read her lines, and stuck to them, because she didn’t have any substantive understanding of much other than the message she was given to say.
What now for Labor in NSW? With a bit of brutal self honesty, they might come to the realisation that a party full of people whose career experience has moved them from student politics to union official to political advisor to politician does not make for a group of people well equipped to govern, or indeed to connect with the community at large. I somehow doubt that will happen, as these self same people will not want to face up to their shortcomings like that. I think they will find lots of reasons why they lost so badly, but apart from a bit of tweaking at the edges, Sussex Street will keep on going business as usual, and the party will be dominated by professional politicians who don’t really stand for anything apart from acquiring power for themselves.
