The result was a second "Wranslide": a landslide victory for the Labor Party under Neville Wran.

The Liberals suffered the double indignity of losing the seat contested by their leader Bruce McDonald to an independent, and of being reduced to the same number of seats in parliament as their ostensible junior coalition partner, the National Country Party.

Additionally, the practice of creating smaller rural seats to boost country representation was ended.

New South Wales state election, 19 September 1981 [1][2]Legislative Assembly << 1978–1984 >>

New South Wales state election, 19 September 1981[3]Legislative Council