Illustration: Simon Letch Part of the problem is the relatively low profile of state politics, particularly at a time when federal politics is a circus, featuring a government teetering on the edge of power, clinging to a one-seat majority. But it is also symptomatic of Berejiklian's low-key style, in contrast to her predecessors Mike Baird and Barry O'Farrell. Baird went to some lengths to craft his image from the time he became Treasurer after the 2011 election that ushered in the Coalition government. Very early on he gave a speech outlining the three reasons he decided to get into politics: to balance the budget, build infrastructure and protect the vulnerable.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian Credit:Peter Rae In hindsight, it reads like an unabashed pitch for the job he would eventually go on to take. As soon as he became Premier, Baird repeated the mantra and stuck with it throughout his tenure to good effect. He even cited his personal credo when exiting politics in January, just to remind people of what he had set out to achieve. Almost immediately upon becoming premier, Baird took on electricity privatisation – one of the most notoriously difficult policy areas in NSW politics – and won. Before him, Barry O'Farrell had a slightly easier image to sell: he was not the Labor party.

Coming into power, he promised to introduce stable government and put an end to the scandals that had plagued the ALP during many of its 16 years in power. (OK, that second bit didn't work out so well, but the point was valid.) O'Farrell, contrary to the suggestion he was a do-nothing premier, actually carried out some radical reform, including the controversial crack down on public servant wage rises. He was also willing to use the office of Premier to make a point. His personal support for gay marriage and opposition to changes to federal anti-discrimination laws both stand out. What of Berejiklian? We know a little of her personal story and that she has worked as Transport Minister and Treasurer. She is fond of highlighting that as Transport Minister she delivered the Opal card. That's fair enough.

And it's true that she has clearly articulated her priorities. But two of them – infrastructure and a sound economy are underway and achieved, respectively. The third – housing affordability – was arguably forced upon her due to a lack of action while she was Treasurer. Over two budgets – and despite being pushed by the media and industry groups – Berejiklian failed to produce a strong policy response on the housing affordability issue. In line with the argument that more supply was the answer, the best she would muster was tipping extra cash into the Housing Acceleration Fund, which is designed to speed up the release of new stock by funding infrastructure required to support it. Worse, there was a lack of action as government coffers overflowed with stamp duty receipts from the booming Sydney housing market that was placing first homes further and further out of reach.

So Berejiklian suddenly identifying housing affordability as a priority immediately upon becoming Premier read more like a political defence than a positive policy initiative. That there was no detail attached to the announcement gave the impression she had not been thinking about the issue at all during her time as Treasurer. (She has an opportunity to address this in her first budget as Premier, but that is four months away). Beyond that, during her six weeks in the job Berejiklian has been busy announcing policies that were already in the pipeline, most recently the overhaul of compulsory third party car insurance scheme. She squibbed the one opportunity she had to really mark her arrival – a radical rethink of Baird's council amalgamations agenda.

The unfortunate consequence is that following Baird's departure it almost feels as it we are between governments – a dangerous position for the government to be in with three byelections looming. When electors go to the polls in Gosford, Manly and North Shore on April 8, they are widely anticipated to give the government a good kicking. Any significant swing against the Liberals will be naturally pounced upon by the opposition as evidence of the electorate turning. The worry for Berejiklian is that a perception that the government is on the nose after six years in power sticks as a result – and becomes her political narrative in the absence of anything else. Sean Nicholls is state political editor.