NSW has handed a decisive victory to Mike Baird

Sydney (Tribune International): ‘We sought a mandate to make NSW great and tonight the people
of NSW have given us that mandate, says Premier New South Wales Mr. Mike Baird. Mr. Baird has retained his government in New South Wales by winning the State Election 2015. He was returned as premier on despite an expected 10 percent swing against his government which was predicted to lose around 12 seats. Mr. Baird’s victory is the endorsement of voters’ faith in Mr Baird on his outweighed policy of electricity privatisation. Addressing to liberals, Mr. Baird appeared on stage to chants of “four more years”. He congratulated new members of parliament across the chamber and ended by thanking his family. ‘Tonight they have chosen hope over fear,’ he told supporters at the Sofitel Hotel in Sydney. “The reason I love this state is because of its people and friends, tonight they have chosen hope over fear,” he said with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop in the crowd. “This journey is a family one,” he said. “I want to thank my kids Laura, Kate and Luke and my beautiful wife. Everyone knows I am punching above my weight.” The Australian Labor Party (ALP) is set to win back about 10 seats it lost in 2011 and the ABC predicts it will hold a total of 31 when counting concludes.