CANBERRA (London Post with AAP)By Dr. Majid Khan-After a busy final day of campaigning by Prime Minister Dominic Perrotet and Labor leader Chris Mings, millions of New South Wales voters will go to the polls to decide who will lead their state.
Starting at 8 a.m. Saturday, he will have more than 4 million voters head to the ballot box, allowing millions to choose their favorite local members in his more than 2,000 locations in 93 constituencies across the state.
Nearly a quarter of voters have already made their decision, with about 1.2 million primary ballots and his 92,000 absentee ballots submitted as of Friday morning.
The two leaders will vote in their respective constituencies, making last-minute bids for key seats, before settling into their respective camps and awaiting possible outcomes late into the night.
Perrottet is seeking his fourth consecutive four-year term in the Free Nationals Coalition, a responsible financial management platform he says will fund life-changing infrastructure. It was the first time since 1973 that the Communist Party achieved this feat.
“Only the Liberals and Nationals have long-term economic plans to move New South Wales forward,” the Prime Minister told reporters on Friday.
Mings offers a chance for a ‘fresh start’ under Labor, including removing wage caps for struggling public sector workers and pledging no more privatization of public assets. .
“This election allows you to vote for positive change,” he said in his final message to voters.
On the eve of the election, the latest news poll showed that Labor led the coalition on a bipartisan basis by 54.5 to 45.5. That marks a 6.5% uptick for the coalition since 2019 and puts it on track for Labor to demand the 10 seats needed to form a majority government.
Opinion polls found Mr Mins overtook Mr Perrotet as the preferred prime minister, with Labor’s primary voter turnout at 38% for him, while the coalition had 35% for him.
The Greens and Blue-Greens have vowed to hold governments accountable for climate change and other progressive reforms, and if a minority government were to emerge, many smaller parties and independent candidates vying for the cross-bench would be forced into all can make a difference.
Both leading party leaders have campaigned hard to secure support for peripheral seats that could sway elections.
The growing financial pressure on families and businesses has put the cost of living in the spotlight, and both parties have promised relief in the form of discounts on energy bills and caps on road tolls. New South Wales Electoral Commissioner John Schmidt said it will be available for those with special needs, such as those who are blind, deaf or need an interpreter.
