Gladys Berejiklian has been announced as New South Wales’s second female Premier, after being elected as the state’s Liberal party leader this morning.
Ms Berejiklian was promoted to the position of party leader in a meeting that began just after 10am today.
She is expected to be sworn in as NSW’s 45th Premier this afternoon, and will announce her full Cabinet at a later date.
Earlier, she announced that she had asked Finance Minister Dominic Perrottet to be her party deputy. He is also expected to be promoted to treasurer in return for supporting Ms Berejiklian.
Mr Baird announced his retirement last week, citing family health issues.
With two years until the next state election, Ms Berejiklian has time to impress voters and will seek to find her own way forward with other possible changes to freshen up the Cabinet.
Two key issues that she has vowed to tackle are healthcare and education, a likely focus for her possible new-look front bench.
Ms Berejiklian has said she wants to “go harder” with infrastructure, including upgrades to hospitals, schools and sports facilities.
Whether her government will retain Health Minister Jillian Skinner on its frontbench remains to be seen.
Ms Skinner held on to the portfolio last year, despite criticisms of her handling of a chemotherapy under-dosing scandal, a deadly baby gassing tragedy and cremation mix-ups.
