Dead heat in upper house after NSW election leaves Chris Minns facing ‘messy’ negotiations

Smaller parties who secured seats in the NSW election may be less willing to work together even if Labor is open to working with them all, Ben Raue says. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

The Minns government will be forced to make deals with both the left and right to pass laws in New South Wales, after the state’s upper house finished with an even split of progressive and conservative members.

Already governing in minority in the lower house with 45 out of 93 seats, Labor’s task to negotiate legislation was made harder on Wednesday with final confirmation of the state’s new upper house.