2003 New South Wales state election

April 2022 none June 2020 December 2024 2003 New South Wales state election New South Wales parliamentary no 1999 New South Wales state election 1999 2007 New South Wales state election 2007 All 93 seats in the New South Wales Legislative Assemblyand 21 (of the 42) seats in the New South Wales Legislative Council47 Assembly seats were needed for a majority yes 2003 03 22 Bob Carr.jpg 130 130 170 0 0 center Bob Carr 6 April 1988 Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch) Maroubra 1,631,018 42.68% 0.47 55 seats 55 John Brogden office Sydney.jpg 130 130 170 5 0 center John Brogden 28 March 2002 Liberal/National coalition Liberal/National coalition Pittwater 1,312,892 34.35% 0.66 33 seats 32 1 TPP TPP swing 56.18% 43.82% 0.22 0.22 2003 New South Wales state election.svg 340px Two-candidate-preferred margin by electorate Premier Bob Carr Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch) Bob Carr Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch) The 2003 New South Wales state election was held on Saturday 22 March 2003. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election. The Labor Party led by Bob Carr won a third four-year term against the Liberal–National Coalition led by John Brogden. Future New South Wales premiers, Gladys Berejiklian and Kristina Keneally, entered parliament at this election. This election saw the New South Wales division of the Liberal Party record its lowest ever primary vote at a state election. Background May 2013 In the 18 months following the 1999 election politics was swamped by the Olympics. The only problem in this period was an administrative disaster in organising the ballot to purchase tickets. Games organisers were trying to hold back tickets originally promised at a lower price to the public in an attempt to deal with the financial viability of the Olympics. Chikarovski remained as Liberal leader after the 1999 election, partly because no-one wanted the job before the Olympics, but also because there was no clear alternative. A challenge finally occurred in March 2002, and Pittwater MP John Brogden, after six years in Parliament, was elected to the leadership on his 33rd birthday. After the Olympics, the Government faced two major problems. The first was the police. The Government had appointed an outsider, Englishman Peter Ryan, as new Commissioner to implement the reforms proposed by the Police Royal Commission. By 2001, police issues had moved on from corruption and returned to law and order, with the Government in particular under pressure over so-called "ethnic" crime in Western Sydney. Both Police Minister Paul Whelan and Commissioner Ryan were pushed into retiring, and new Minister Michael Costa was brought in to control the issue in the run-up to the 2003 election. The second problem was the rail system. In a bid to create efficiencies, the Government had split the rail system into distinct organisations covering track, rolling stock, freight and passengers. Following a spate of accidents, including fatalities at Springwood in December 1999, a commission of inquiry was appointed. Its findings were that the accidents stemmed from confusion in the new structure of the rail system, and also a failure by the railway organisation to view safety as an operational goal. Another accident at Waterfall a month before the official start of the election campaign looked set to make rail safety a critical election issue, but the cause turned out to be the demise of the driver at the controls. Events after the election were to reveal major problems in the rail system, but they were not to become major issues in the campaign. The 2003 election was almost a repeat of the 1999 result. The Liberal Party regained South Coast but lost the outer Sydney seat of Camden. The National Party regained Clarence with the retirement of Harry Woods, but lost Monaro to the Labor Party. Worse for the National Party, both Tamworth and Port Macquarie were lost to Independents: Tamworth after having been regained at a 2001 by-election, Port Macquarie after the decision of the National MP to leave the Party. On the surface the result looked a repeat of 1999, but on closer analysis, Labor had increased its hold on Government. Despite a statewide two-party swing of just 0.2% to Labor, the party increased its margins in key seats. The seats clustered around the bottom of the electoral pendulum ahead of the 1999 election were now all safe seats for the Government. With another redistribution due before the next election in 2007 election, Labor appeared to have entrenched itself in power. The election was the second to be fought by Carr as the incumbent Premier and became the first incumbent Premier to fight back to back elections since Neville Wran. To date Carr is also the last Premier to fight a second consecutive election. In his concession speech Brogden promised that he will be back for the 2007 election but it was a promise that was not kept as he resigned as Liberal leader and then from Parliament in 2005. Electoral system Electoral systems of the Australian states and territories#New South Wales The New South Wales Legislative Assembly consists of 93 members, elected in single-member electorates by optional preferential voting.January 2026 The New South Wales Legislative Council consists of 42 members, elected at large by optional preferential single transferable voting, with 21 elected at each election to serve two Legislative Assembly terms.January 2026 Terms are fixed at four years, with elections being held in late March.January 2026 Results Overview In the New South Wales Legislative Assembly: the Labor Party won 55 seats the Liberal Party won 20 seats the National Party won 12 seats independent candidates won 6 seats Elections were held for half the seats in the New South Wales Legislative Council: the Labor Party won 10 seats for a total of 18 the Liberal Party won 5 seats for a total of 9 the National Party won 2 seats for a total of 4 the Greens won 2 seats for a total of 3 the Christian Democratic Party won 1 seat for a total of 2 the Shooters Party won 1 seat for a total of 1 the Australian Democrats won 0 seats for a total of 1 One Nation NSW won 0 seats for a total of 1 the Unity Party won 0 seats for a total of 1 the Outdoor Recreation Party won 0 seats for a total of 1 Reform the Legal System won 0 seats for a total of 1 Legislative Assembly Results of the 2003 New South Wales state election (Legislative Assembly) 4272104 102872 1.25 0.11 File:2003 NSW Legislative Assembly.svg Labor #f00011 1631018 0.47 55 Liberal #080cab 944888 0.10 20 National #008000 368004 0.76 12 1 Greens #10c25b 315370 4.37 0 Independents 313106 3.09 6 1 Christian Democrats 65937 0.23 0 Unity 49597 0.24 0 One Nation NSW #f36c21 48846 6.25 0 Democrats 35477 2.40 0 Others 49561 0.41 0 y Two-party-preferred Labor #f00011 1867386 3.92 Liberal/National #05557c 1456640 3.92 NSW Elections - 2003 Results {{bar box|float=right|title=Popular vote| titlebar = var(--background-color-interactive)|width=600px|barwidth=410px|bars= Labor Australian Labor Party 42.68 Liberal Liberal Party of Australia 24.72 National National Party of Australia 9.63 Greens Australian Greens 8.25 Independent Independent (politician) 8.19 Christian Democrats Christian Democratic Party (Australia) 1.73 Unity #cd5700 1.30 One Nation Pauline Hanson's One Nation 1.28 Democrats Australian Democrats 0.93 Others #303030 1.30 #ddd Two-party-preferred vote Labor Australian Labor Party 56.18 Coalition Coalition (Australia) 43.82 #ddd Parliamentary seats Labor Australian Labor Party 59.14 55 Liberal Liberal Party of Australia 21.51 20 National National Party of Australia 12.90 12 Independent Independent (politician) 6.45 6 }} Legislative Council Results of the New South Wales state election, 2003 (Legislative Council) 4272104 209851 1.11 1.83 File:2003 NSW Legislative Council.svg Not Up Won Total seats Labor #f00011 1620190 6.27 8 10 18 Liberal/National Coalition #05557c 1239107 5.91 6 7 13 Greens #10c25b 320010 5.69 1 2 3 Christian Democrats 112865 0.14 1 1 2 Shooters 76133 0.38 0 1 1 Hanson Group #f36c21 71386 New New 0 0 Democrats 55484 2.44 1 0 1 One Nation NSW #f16c2f 55396 4.85 1 0 1 Unity 52979 0.44 1 0 1 Fishing Party (& Associates) #00ffff 39315 0.85 0 0 0 Against Further Immigration 33409 0.59 0 0 0 Save Our Suburbs #7fffd4 18033 0.48 0 0 0 Legal System Reform 9644 0.74 1 0 1 No Privatisation Peoples Party 6652 0.12 0 0 0 Socialist Alliance #990000 5428 New New 0 0 Independents 2434 0.05 0 0 0 Outdoor Recreation 1 0 1 NSW Legislative Council Elections 2003 Seats changing hands Seat Pre-2003 Swing Post-2003 Party Member Margin Margin Member Party Camden  Liberal Liz Kernohan 3.5 -8.9 5.4 Geoff Corrigan Labor  Clarence  Labor Harry Woods 0.2 -1.8 1.6 Steve Cansdell National  Monaro  National Peter Webb 0.2 -3.5 3.3 Steve Whan Labor  South Coast  Labor Wayne Smith 0.5 -3.3 2.8 Shelley Hancock Liberal  Tamworth§  National John Cull 8.7 -11.2 2.5 Peter Draper Independent  § Tamworth was won by the Nationals in a 2001 by-election and the shown swing is based on it. At the 1999 election it was won by independent Tony Windsor. Members' names shown in italics did not recontest their seats. Post-election pendulum Labor seats (55)Marginal MonaroSteve WhanALP3.3% TweedNeville NewellALP3.8% CamdenGeoff CorriganALP5.4%Fairly safe PenrithKaryn PaluzzanoALP6.1% Murray-DarlingPeter BlackALP6.7% Port JacksonSandra NoriALP7.3% v GRN DrummoyneAngela D'AmoreALP8.7% HeathcotePaul McLeayALP8.7% MaitlandJohn PriceALP8.9% MirandaBarry CollierALP9.1% Port StephensJohn BartlettALP9.3% MenaiAlison MegarrityALP9.5% The EntranceGrant McBrideALP9.6% PeatsMarie AndrewsALP9.7%Safe MarrickvilleAndrew RefshaugeALP10.7% v GRN WyongPaul CrittendenALP11.1% CoogeePaul PearceALP12.6% ParramattaTanya GadielALP13.4% Georges RiverKevin GreeneALP13.7% BathurstGerard MartinALP14.1% Lake MacquarieJeff HunterALP14.5% CharlestownMatthew MorrisALP14.7% Blue MountainsBob DebusALP14.8% NewcastleBryce GaudryALP14.8% WentworthvillePam AllanALP14.8% LondonderryAllan ShearanALP15.3% v IND CessnockKerry HickeyALP15.5% RydeJohn WatkinsALP15.5% StrathfieldVirginia JudgeALP15.8% RockdaleFrank SartorALP15.9% RiverstoneJohn AquilinaALP16.1% KiamaMatt BrownALP16.9% WollongongNoreen HayALP17.3% v IND MulgoaDiane BeamerALP17.9% East HillsAlan AshtonALP18.5% KogarahCherie BurtonALP19.2% GranvilleKim YeadonALP19.5% CampbelltownGraham WestALP19.6% WallsendJohn MillsALP20.7%Macquarie FieldsCraig KnowlesALP22.5%KeiraDavid CampbellALP22.5% v GRNMaroubraBob CarrALP23.5%HeffronKristina KeneallyALP23.9%BlacktownPaul GibsonALP24.5%IllawarraMarianne SalibaALP24.8%Mount DruittRichard AmeryALP26.8%FairfieldJoe TripodiALP27.0%AuburnBarbara PerryALP27.3%LakembaMorris IemmaALP27.4%CanterburyLinda BurneyALP27.6%SmithfieldCarl ScullyALP27.8%BankstownTony StewartALP28.6%LiverpoolPaul LynchALP30.7%CabramattaReba MeagherALP31.7% Liberal/National seats (32)MarginalWilloughbyGladys BerejiklianLIB0.2% v INDGosfordChris HartcherLIB0.3%ClarenceSteve CansdellNAT1.6%South CoastShelley HancockLIB2.8%HornsbyJudy HopwoodLIB3.1%Lane CoveAnthony RobertsLIB3.2%BegaAndrew ConstanceLIB3.9%BurrinjuckKatrina HodgkinsonNAT4.1%Baulkham HillsWayne MertonLIB5.9%Fairly safeEppingAndrew TinkLIB6.9%Coffs HarbourAndrew FraserNAT6.9% v INDOrangeRussell TurnerNAT7.1%Southern HighlandsPeta SeatonLIB7.6%BallinaDon PageNAT9.0%CronullaMalcolm KerrLIB9.3%SafeOxleyAndrew StonerNAT10.0%VauclusePeter DebnamLIB10.3%AlburyGreg AplinLIB11.5% v INDThe HillsMichael RichardsonLIB11.6%North ShoreJillian SkinnerLIB12.3%WakehurstBrad HazzardLIB12.7%Upper HunterGeorge SourisNAT12.7%LismoreThomas GeorgeNAT12.8%Wagga WaggaDaryl MaguireLIB13.7%HawkesburySteven PringleLIB14.1%Myall LakesJohn TurnerNAT15.4%BarwonIan Slack-SmithNAT16.2%MurrumbidgeeAdrian PiccoliNAT17.8%DavidsonAndrew HumphersonLIB19.7%PittwaterJohn BrogdenLIB20.1%LachlanIan ArmstrongNAT21.2%Ku-ring-gaiBarry O'FarrellLIB21.6%Crossbench seats (6)ManlyDavid BarrIND1.3% v LIBTamworthPeter DraperIND2.5% v NATDubboTony McGraneIND5.0% v NATBlighClover MooreIND14.7% v ALPNorthern TablelandsRichard TorbayIND32.4% v NATPort MacquarieRob OakeshottIND32.8% v NAT See also Candidates of the 2003 New South Wales state election Post-election pendulum for the 2003 New South Wales state election References http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/03/23/1048354478231.html The Sydney Morning Herald 27 March 2006 bot: unknown https://web.archive.org/web/20060327181309/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/03/23/1048354478231.html The lone Liberal who pierced Labor's ranks 24 March 2003 31 January 2007 http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/03/23/1048354478234.html 24 March 2003 Nori survives Greens challenge The Sydney Morning Herald live 4 December 2024 https://archive.today/20241204050935/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/nori-survives-greens-challenge-20030324-gdghc7.html http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/03/23/1048354478240.html Battling Cansdell gives Nationals a glimmer of light in the north The Sydney Morning Herald 4 December 2024 live https://archive.today/20241204/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/03/23/1048354478240.html 24 March 2003 registration Further reading http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia/states/nsw/nsw2003summary.txt https://web.archive.org/web/20241204051608/http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia/states/nsw/nsw2003summary.txt 4 December 2024 live psephos.adam-carr.net Psephos: Election of 27 March 2003 Statewide summary of votes and seats Category:Elections in New South Wales Category:2003 elections in Australia Elections Category:March 2003 in Australia