The Labor Party defeated the incumbent Liberal/National coalition government in a landslide victory under leader Neville Wran, with the election popularly known as the "Wranslide".

Among them were four seats that Labor had never won before this election--Willoughby (contested for the Liberal Party by Nick Greiner who later became Premier), Manly, Wakehurst and Cronulla.

For instance, it pared down the margin in Pittwater, the seat of former premier Bob Askin, to only 1.4 percent.

Voters had approved a referendum to introduce a directly elected council in June of that year.

New South Wales state election, 7 October 1978[6]Legislative Council The final 2 party preferred result was 60.7% for Labor and 39.3% for the Coalition, making it one of the biggest landslide victories in New South Wales's electoral history.