The New South Wales state election was a contest between a party that did not deserve to be re-elected and an opposition that was not ready to form a government.
The incumbent Labor party focused it's campaign on Morris Iemma's eighteen month stewardship as premier - totally ignoring the disastrous years of Bob Carr's reign.
There was little in the way of detailed future plans from the government - and far too many unfunded " pie in the sky "promises from the Liberal/National opposition.
In the end, it came down to a decision between a charismatic premier who avoided mentioning the mess he inherited - but promised better things in the future - and an inexperienced opposition leader who promised too much. The voters flipped a coin and decided to go with the devil they knew - but they imposed the punishment of a small number of lost seats - and many safe Labor electorates being reduced to marginal status.
So - where do we go from here ?
For Peter Debnam, leader of the Liberals it probably means the end of his ambitions to be premier. It is clear that he lacks charisma and it is almost certain that he will be replaced as leader.
The future of the Labor state government will depend on whether Morris Iemma has the clout to whip the party's notorious factions into line and impose his authority. He has ministers who are not performing - and who need replacing. Merit must come to the fore rather than the incestuous power sharing that promotes numbers rather than skill that has been past practice.
The next four years will be critical. The voters of this state have clearly indicated that they are not impressed with the debacles of rail, roads and hospitals. The government has been given one last chance - and next time around they will not be forgiving if the situation has not improved.
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