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The last two New South Wales premiers were chosen in effective coronations, running unopposed in the Liberal party room.

But the abrupt resignation of Gladys Berejiklian has left a power vacuum that could turn bloody.

After Ms Berejiklian weathered perhaps the toughest two years any premier has dealt with, she leaves behind a state about to exit lockdown.

So who is in the running to be the next premier of NSW? Here are the likely contenders.

READ MORE: Gladys Berejiklian's full resignation statement

Dominic Perrottet

When Gladys Berejiklian ran unopposed for premier in 2017, the conservative faction of the party had a precondition.

They would support her for the top job, so long as Dominic Perrottet would be her deputy.

Mr Perrottet has served as Treasurer since 2017, a senior position for a young man. In spite of his experience, Mr Perrottet is still just 39 years old.

His resume makes him a frontrunner, but his position in the conservative faction stops him from being a shoo-in.

The moderate faction has a majority in the NSW Liberals, and they may be reluctant to side with him.

Mr Perrottet grew up in the Hills District, and has moved electorates in three subsequent elections, from Hawkesbury to Castle Hill to Epping.

He lives with his wife Helen and their six children in northwest Sydney.

In a statement issued this afternoon, Mr Perrottet inferred that he might run for the top job.

"The interests of the people of NSW must always come first, and the priority for the Government is to ensure we continue to keep people safe, and that we re-open the economy and get people back to work, kids back to school, and life back to normal as fast as possible," he said.

"Over the coming days I will be talking to my family and colleagues about how I can best serve the people of NSW to continue to achieve these aims."

LIVE UPDATES: International borders set to reopen

Stuart Ayres

Minister for Jobs and Tourism Stuart Ayres is also reportedly angling for the top spot.

From the moderate faction, Mr Ayres, 40, represents the seat of Penrith in Sydney's west.

His dominant electoral position in what is often regarded as the most swingy part of Sydney has been a cause for consternation in the Labor Party.

If Mr Ayres is chosen, he would be the first NSW Liberal leader in decades to not hail from a blue-ribbon seat in Sydney's north or east.

He lives in western Sydney with his domestic partner Marise Payne, the federal foreign affairs minister.

Rob Stokes

Planning Minister Rob Stokes has revealed he is planning a tilt at the top job.

Mr Stokes, 46, has represented the seat of Pittwater on Sydney's Northern Beaches since 2007.

The former lawyer has a PhD in planning law, and previously served as Education Minister.

Part of the moderate faction, he has been described as a key ally of Ms Berejiklian.

He lives with his wife Sophie and their three children in Newport.

Matt Kean

As a leader in the moderate faction, Matt Kean may throw his hat into the ring.

Mr Kean, 40, is currently the Minister for Energy and the Environment, and an ally of Ms Berejiklian.

He describes himself as an "outspoken critic on climate denialism", and has championed greater action on climate change.

He represents the electorate of Hornsby in Sydney's northwest.

But despite the factional differences, Mr Kean is a friend of Mr Perrottet.

It has long been rumoured that Mr Perrottet and Mr Kean would run together on a premier-deputy ticket when the next leadership spill came along.

He is recently married and has a baby boy.

READ MORE: PM, premiers praise Gladys Berejiklian after shock resignation

Locals of outgoing NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian's electorate of Willoughby have left flowers and balloons at her home and office today after she stood down from her job.

Ms Berejiklian served the local electorate for the majority of her political career so there has been an outpouring of support from her constituents following her resignation.

READ MORE: 'I have been given no option': NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian resigns

This afternoon, there was an outpouring of support for the politician.

"It was just on Sunday we saw Gladys putting her bins like we do and thanked her for taking care of us and all the tough decisions she has had to make," one supporter told 9News.

READ MORE: The road to resignation – How Gladys Berejiklian came to this point

"When you first went into politics who would have thought you'd been facing pandemic like this, the pressure she was under was immense," another said.

"It's just a real shame she has done a fantastic job during the pandemic," a local said.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian resigned from her position after the Independent Commission Against Corruption announced a public hearing into her conduct.

Ms Berejiklian will also stand down from parliament.

The outgoing premier described the decision as "extremely difficult" but said she had been left with no choice.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has resigned from her position after the Independent Commission Against Corruption announced a public hearing into her conduct.

Ms Berejiklian will also stand down from parliament.

The outgoing premier described the decision as "extremely difficult" but said she had been left with no choice.

LIVE UPDATES: International borders set to reopen

https://omny.fm/shows/the-9news-lunch-podcast/oct-1-gladys-gone-nsw-premier-makes-shock-announce/embed?style=cover/embed?style=cover

"Standing aside is not an option for me as the premier of NSW," Ms Berejiklian said in a press conference today.

She also took aim at the ICAC over the timing of the announcement, saying the change "could not come at a worse time".

"Resigning at this time is against every instinct of my being.

"I love my job and serving the community but I have been given no option."

Ms Berejiklian thanked the people of NSW for their support of her during her time in office.

"Serving you has been the greatest privilege of my life," she said.

"Please know that every day I gave it my all and worked as hard as I could to create a better future for the state and its people."

READ MORE: Gladys Berejiklian's full resignation statement

She said the people of NSW would come out of lockdown stronger.

"As I address you the final time as your premier, please stay the course and stay safe," Ms Berejiklian said.

"We will be shortly out of this lockdown and be able to get on with our lives."

She urged the state to support whoever is chosen as her successor. She will also resign from NSW Parliament.

READ MORE: The road to resignation – How Gladys Berejiklian came to this point

It comes after ICAC announced it will hold public hearings into whether Ms Berejiklian engaged in conduct that "involved a breach of public trust".

In a statement, ICAC said: "The Commission is investigating whether, between 2012 and 2018, the Hon Gladys Berejiklian MP engaged in conduct that…constituted or involved a breach of public trust by exercising public functions in circumstances where she was in a position of conflict between her public duties and her private interest as a person who was in a personal relationship with the then NSW Member of Parliament, Mr Daryl Maguire."

READ MORE: PM, premiers praise Gladys Berejiklian after shock resignation

ICAC will investigate any "position of conflict" between her professional role and her private relationship with Mr Maguire, then a member of state parliament.

ICAC will investigate whether her private relationship led to grant funding going to the Australian Clay Target Association Inc in 2016 and 2017, and the Riverina Conservatorium of Music in 2018.

Both organisations are based in Wagga Wagga, the city in country NSW represented at the time by Mr Maguire.

ICAC will also investigate whether Ms Berejiklian "was liable to allow or encourage the occurrence of corrupt conduct by Mr Maguire".

Mr Maguire himself will be investigated for conduct that involved a breach of public trust.

The public inquiry will be held from October 18 and is expected to last for 10 days.

A witness list will be published closer to the date.

READ MORE: The contenders to be the next NSW Premier

A popular central Auckland supermarket has been added to the locations of interest for positive Covid-19 cases.For the past week more suburbs around Auckland are starting to show up on the Ministry of Health’s list – as the city…

Victoria is set to change the isolation rules for supermarket staff as stores struggle to keep their doors open with thousands of workers forced to isolate every day.

Trading hours at a number of Victorian supermarkets have had to be cut down as thousands of staff are required to get tested and isolate.

Some delis at both Coles and Woolworths are not operating due to staff in isolation, while shelves of items like toilet paper and fresh bread remain empty.

READ MORE: Vaccine mandate for authorised workers in Victoria

Major retailers such as Coles have called for the state government to bring contact tracing in line with NSW to allow fully vaccinated workers in essential industries to keep working if they are deemed a casual contact.

Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed today some rules on contact tracing would change.

"I understand that was resolved positively and we are making some changes to those isolation protocols," he said.

"We are making some changes but we'll make sure it's part of the CHO release."

Currently, 24 Woolworths supermarkets across the state are Tier 1 exposure sites and the supermarket is at risk of closing five stores by this weekend due to staff shortages.

READ MORE: Victoria's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for authorised workers explained

In a statement, Woolworths said over the past three months more than 25,000 team members have been required to isolate in Victoria – none have gone on to test positive to COVID-19.

About 30,000 staff at Coles have been required to isolate in Victoria and NSW as a result of being exposed to a positive case.

The premier said there had been positive discussions with the industry.

"It's resolved in a good place, but of course we want to try and drive down the number of cases," he said.