Kristina Keneally conceding defeat at Randwick Labor Club. Credit:Anthony Johnson Earlier, Ms Keneally formally conceded defeat after one of the greatest routs in NSW electoral history and announced she will stand down as leader of the NSW Labor party. ‘‘Tonight we acknowledge and accept the verdict of the people of NSW,’’ a sombre Ms Keneally told Labor supporters. ‘‘The people of NSW always get it right and so tonight I congratulate Mr O’Farrell and I wish him and the government that he will form all the best," she said. Ms Keneally will stay on in politics on the backbench.

Barry O'Farrell during his visit to Kanwal PS poll in Wyong. Credit:Wolter Peeters Ms Keneally said she took responsibility for the result, which could leave Labor with as few as 20 seats in the 93-seat parliament. ‘‘I believe that the next stage of renewal for our party is best undertaken by a new leader, a new leader who can take up the next phase of our party’s renewal, unencumbered,’’ she said. Tony Abbott at Parramatta Leagues Club waiting the arrival of Barry O'Farrell. Credit:Rob Homer ‘‘A new leader who will have my support, and, if it is any use, my counsel form the back bench.

"Tonight the Australian Labor Party has suffered a significant loss, there is no hiding from that. The truth is the people of NSW have entrusted us with government for 16 years, did not leave us, we left them." Labor member for Balmain, Verity Firth during a TV interview for the election coverage at the Nag's Head Hotel in Glebe. Credit:Dallas Kilponen Ms Keneally - who became the third Labor leader after former premiers Morris Iemma and Nathan Rees were dumped - called on Labor to unite. "The lessons we as a party must take from tonight’s result are the importance of unity and the importance of putting the people we serve and the principles we hold above all other motivations." The man tipped to takeover as Opposition leader, John Robertson, looks like he will win the seat of Blacktown, despite an 18 per cent swing against him.

He attracted about 45 per cent of the primary vote, compared to the Liberal’s Karlo Siljeg with 36 per cent.



The coalition is expected to have an overwhelming majority in the NSW parliament following today’s routing of Labor after 16 years in government. Before the first votes were even counted Labor campaign spokesman Luke Foley declared it a massacre and a bloodbath for the ALP. Swings of more than 15 per cent pushed out sitting Labor members in Strathfield, Heathcote and Kiama. In seats where long standing ALP members had retired prior to the poll, the results where no better with the seats of Rockdale and Riverstone also going to the Liberals. But senior Labor figures were staging a fight. ‘‘Carmel (Tebbutt), Verity (Firth), John Robertson, Michael Daley, Kevin Greene, David Borger, Nathan Rees, these are senior figures who are still in there with a chance,’’ ALP spokesman Luke Foley told the ABC.

"Steve Whan in Monaro is a chance, partly because the toxic politics in Sydney, the Sydney media is not reflected in Monaro.’’ NSW STATE ELECTION MAP A Sky News exit poll had predicted a 21 per cent swing against the Keneally government. Polls this week had pointed to swings against the government of between 15 per cent and 18.3 per cent. The Nationals look likely to regain Port Macquarie from independent Peter Besseling, who succeeded federal MP Rob Oakeshott in a by-election in 2008.

The Nationals also claimed Dubbo from independent Dawn Fardell and Bathurst from Country Labor's Dale Turner. Labor was taking heart from Deputy Premier Carmel Tebbutt's performance in Marrickville, where the swing against her to the Greens so far is less than expected. "Six booths in, in no booths is the swing large enough for the Greens to knock off Tebbutt," Mr Foley told the ABC. In Balmain, where the Greens have been tipped to oust Education Minister Verity Firth, Mr Foley said the result may not be known for some time. Greens candidate, Leichhardt mayor Jamie Green, was being cautious.

"I think it will be very close. At the moment we seem to be holding quite well ... but it could take some time to determine the outcome," he told the ABC. Ms Berejiklian said the Liberals were doing surprisingly well in the early counting in Balmain and in Strathfield, held by another Keneally minister, Virginia Judge. The ABC later predicted the coalition would end up with a majority of 49 in the 93-seat parliament. Mr Green says on the current figures, the Liberals will have 54 seats, the Nationals 17, independents three, the Greens none, leaving the ALP with just 19 seats. That would be a loss of 31 seats of the 50 seats Labor held before Saturday.

The ABC said the coalition was benefiting from a swing of 17.1 per cent, while Sky said the swing was 17 per cent. Liberal Party state director Mark Neeham said there will be no prolonged celebrations if the coalition claims victory. "It's down to the hard work of sorting this state out. After 16 years in opposition there is so much work to do," he told Seven. "We've got a very positive indication right now, it's still too early to call a lot of these seats." Mr Neeham praised Mr O'Farrell for running a "determined, focused and disciplined" campaign.

"He unified our party. "He instilled discipline in our party and worked tremendously hard every day for the last four years." Meanwhile, there has been a big swing to the coalition in Labor's Central Coast seat of The Entrance. By 7.50pm, with 52 per cent of the vote counted, there had been a 19 per cent swing against David Mehan. The seat was likely to be won by Chris Spence, who was targeted by Labor during the campaign for his association more than 10 years ago with One Nation.

Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott and his wife Margie have arrived at the coalition election function in Parramatta. Mr Abbott walked through the crowd of about 400, shaking hands with supporters including Max Moore-Wilton before entering a side room. Sky now says the state coalition has 64 seats, Labor 14 and independents three, with 12 seats in doubt. Meanwhile, senior Labor figures were staging a fight. ‘‘Carmel (Tebbutt), Verity (Firth), John Robertson, Michael Daley, Kevin Greene, David Borger, Nathan Rees, these are senior figures who are still in there with a chance,’’ Mr Foley told the ABC.

‘‘Steve Whan in Monaro is a chance, partly because the toxic politics in Sydney, the Sydney media is not reflected in Monaro.’’ Ms Berejiklian agreed. ‘‘A lot of the Labor ministers are holding up in their seats,’’ she said. Mr Foley said the statewide swing to the Liberal and National parties was not being repeated in the inner city to the Greens. ‘‘I don’t have a clue what the final contest is going to be in Balmain,’’ he said. ‘‘Marrickville, the swings I’m seeing are less than is needed to change hands, but the big booths are yet to come in. We just don’t know.’’

But Mr Foley said the future was not looking good for Labor. Loading ‘‘But if we’re talking about Labor fighting for its life in Newcastle, Swansea, Cessnock, Granville, Cabramatta, that shows how catastrophic this election is for our party.’’ AAP