Dominic Perrottet will become the 46th NSW premier after winning his Liberal Party room ballot for leader following the resignation of Gladys Berejiklian.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Liberal Party whip Adam Crouch announced the result shortly after the ballot in Sydney.
Rob Stokes was his moderate rival in the ballot. The meeting was delayed because of COVID-19 rapid antigen testing as MPs went in to NSW Parliament on Tuesday morning.
Perrottet won the ballot 39 votes to five votes.
Stuart Ayres was elected the deputy leader of the Liberal Party unopposed.
The extraordinary ballot situation evolved after the popular Ms Berejiklian resigned from NSW Parliament after she was named in an ICAC inquiry.
Mr Perrottet was previously the NSW Treasurer. From the right wing of the Liberal Party, he won the support of a moderate bloc headed by western Sydney MP Stuart Ayres.
He's expected to lead a conservative agenda, being a conservative Catholic associated with the Opus Dei movement and having espoused support for former US President Donald Trump in the past. He also voted against marriage equality.
He has overseen a strong period of growth for the NSW economy and was willing to open the pursestrings for regional NSW, working closely with his "mate" John Barilaro, who on Monday also announced he was resigning, saying he'd "lost the fight".
Mr Perrottet will now go to NSW Government House to be sworn in as Premier.