Gladys Berejiklian: Where does NSW's new Premier stand on the state's big issues?
Updated
She is a private woman who supports same-sex marriage, is compassionate towards the plight of refugees and helped sign off on the Government's signature infrastructure projects.
However, little else is known about new Premier Gladys Berejiklian's policy agenda for New South Wales.
The daughter of Armenian migrants, Ms Berejiklian was elected in the seat of Willoughby with a razor-thin margin in 2003, but 14 years on, where does she stand on the state's hot-button issues?
Council amalgamations
This would loom as an early headache for Ms Berejiklian after The Nationals' announcement on Friday they would no longer support the policy in regional areas.
Several municipalities around NSW are fighting forced amalgamations in the courts, and the hot-button issue continues to be an open wound for the Government.
Ms Berejiklian's position on forced amalgamations is unclear.
What about WestConnex?
NSW's top infrastructure priority is a pet project for Ms Berejiklian, who was transport minister when stage one was rubber-stamped in 2011.
She also held the transport portfolio when the light-rail link from Circular Quay to Randwick was announced in 2012.
The state's big infrastructure projects are her projects.
And the environment?
A clue to her position on issues like climate change could be contained in her inaugural speech to the NSW Parliament in 2003 where she described her local community as passionate about natural heritage and the environment.
She referenced Governor Phillip's 1788 exploration of Middle Harbour.
"Due to the tough terrain much of that foreshore was not touched for over 100 years and fortunately for the most part it remains in the same pristine state today," she said.
Lockout laws
Ms Berejiklian has not been on the record talking about the controversial lockout laws, which had Mr Baird on the nose with younger voters.
The 1.30am lockout and 3:00am last-drinks curfews were relaxed slightly in December 2016, during her time as NSW Liberal party deputy leader.
Social issues
It is not a state issue, but Ms Berejiklian was on the record in 2015 supporting marriage equality, a position at odds with her Armenian Orthodox Church.
In Parliament last year, she described Mardi Gras founders the 78ers as "heroes".
She also seems likely to back Mr Baird's compassionate stance on refugees.
In 2015, the NSW Government signed up to resettle about 6,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees over two years, and Ms Berejiklian has publicly supported the proactive approach.
Ms Berejiklian's Armenian grandparents were orphaned during the death marches and attacks under the Ottoman Empire in 1915.
Topics: government-and-politics, state-parliament, parliament, states-and-territories, willoughby-2068
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