The long expected resignation of NSW Premier Mike Baird has at last happened. He said there would be a Liberal partyroom meeting and a spill of leadership positions next week. He will resign from Parliament, effective immediately, following that meeting.
Though initially popular, there was soon a huge drop in his approval ratings following controversy over his Government's greyhound ban and then backflip, lockout laws and council amalgamations, the WestConnex debacle, interference with NSW ICAAC, his attack on women's refuges, selling of public housing in the Rocks, his reckless destruction of ancient fig trees planted by the WWI Anzacs, his attempt at increasing the GST following a suggestion from short term PM Tony Abbott, his wanton destruction of heritage housing in Haberfield to make room for temporary space for the heavy machinery for the harebrained Westconnex debacle... a seemingly endless list of hubris that today encouraged the weary people of NSW to heave an audible sigh of relief at his exit.
The drop in his approval rating late last year was the biggest drop for any Premier in the history of Newspoll.
Satirised as ‘Casino Mike’ because Sydney’s Star Casino benefited from the CBD grog lockout, Mr Baird often used social media to show he is personable and can take a joke.
Mr Baird’s Liberal leadership running mate, the Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian, 46, is expected to become the state’s first non-Labor female premier when Mr Baird formally resigns from State Parliament next week.
The NSW Liberal Party’s moderate and right factions appear to have agreed on a unity ticket to install Ms Berejiklian as premier and Dominic Perrottet, of the religious right, currently finance minister, as deputy leader and treasurer to remove any chance of a divisive challenge. If any others want to challenge for the leadership they have to put up their hands before 10am on Monday.
Though initially popular, there was soon a huge drop in his approval ratings following controversy over his Government's greyhound ban and then backflip, lockout laws and council amalgamations, the WestConnex debacle, interference with NSW ICAAC, his attack on women's refuges, selling of public housing in the Rocks, his reckless destruction of ancient fig trees planted by the WWI Anzacs, his attempt at increasing the GST following a suggestion from short term PM Tony Abbott, his wanton destruction of heritage housing in Haberfield to make room for temporary space for the heavy machinery for the harebrained Westconnex debacle... a seemingly endless list of hubris that today encouraged the weary people of NSW to heave an audible sigh of relief at his exit.
The drop in his approval rating late last year was the biggest drop for any Premier in the history of Newspoll.
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Mr Baird’s Liberal leadership running mate, the Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian, 46, is expected to become the state’s first non-Labor female premier when Mr Baird formally resigns from State Parliament next week.
The NSW Liberal Party’s moderate and right factions appear to have agreed on a unity ticket to install Ms Berejiklian as premier and Dominic Perrottet, of the religious right, currently finance minister, as deputy leader and treasurer to remove any chance of a divisive challenge. If any others want to challenge for the leadership they have to put up their hands before 10am on Monday.
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