As Chris Minns was sworn in as the 47th premier of NSW on Tuesday, Labor's hopes for a majority government were fading.
Needing 47 seats to have a lower house majority, Labor was stuck on 45 as the Coalition pushed ahead in handful of the seats still in doubt, including Terrigal, Goulburn, Winston Hills, Holsworthy and Miranda.
Upper Hunter hasn't been included as one of those seats still up in the air, with the ABC's Antony Green declaring Dave Layzell home, despite the incumbent National MP's reluctance to do so.
Both Mr Layzell and his Labor adversary Peree Watson have indicated that pre-poll and postal votes could sway the ledger either way.
With 48.2 per cent of the electorate counted, Mr Layzell led by 948 votes - a swing of 2 per cent to the Nats - although one can't help but think Labor could have made serious inroads into the seat had it been made a priority.
Labor's upper house leader, Penny Sharpe, was quoted as saying the party had not put a huge effort into the seat, seeing it as natural National Party territory.
As he desperately chases that 47th seat, Mr Minns could regret his decision to prioritise Western Sydney over the Upper Hunter.
If Labor fails to form a majority government, all of a sudden Lake Macquarie Independent Greg Piper becomes a far more influential figure in Parliament.
Mr Piper and re-elected independents Alex Greenwich and Joe McGirr have confirmed they will offer confidence and supply to the Minns government if Labor fails to win the 47 seats it needs.
"(We) look forward to a strong and consultative working relationship with premier-elect Chris Minns and his team," they said in a joint statement.
Many across the Hunter will be hoping Labor's tally remains at 46 seats in the hope it keeps Mr Minns and his government accountable.
He may not be the Member for Newcastle, but Mr Piper has shown he is more than capable of advocating for the wider region, as evidenced by his bill which would scrap penalties on the city's port building a freight terminal.
Mr Minns' team may have missed a trick by not throwing more resources at Upper Hunter but with a bloc of seven Labor MPs across the region, there can be no excuse for ignoring the state's second biggest city - and its surrounds - over the next four years.
