Sydney Now: What you need to know on Monday, January 23, 2017

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We're in for a warm day with a top of 31 degrees in the city and 34 at Parramatta. Tuesday will be boiling with a top of 38 in the city and 42 at Penrith. The good news is we will have a minimum of 20 after storms cool things down on Tuesday night.

Checkout chick to premier

Gladys Berejiklian at her office. On Sunday. Photo: James Alcock

The big day has arrived in Macquarie Street with the Liberal party room to meet to elect a new leader following Premier Mike Baird's shock retirement announcement last Thursday. Gladys Berejiklian will most likely be elected leader unopposed and be sworn in as premier this afternoon. Ms Berejiklian has risen from the ranks of checkout chick to the top job in the state. You can read James Robertson's portrait of a premier here.

We will have updates throughout the day at smh.com.au and at Facebook.com/sydneynowSMH

They tend to like 'Glad'

Roads minister Duncan Gay. Photo: Rob Homer

Duncan Gay, who of course worked closely with Ms Berejiklian when they were roads and transport ministers respectively, has spoken kindly about his coalition colleague. "She won't be Barry, she won't be Mike, she'll be Glad. People tend to like Glad," Mr Gay told city editor Jacob Saulwick in his report here.

The premier, the broadcaster and rich property developer

Outgoing premier Mike Baird. Photo: Rob Homer

Premier Mike Baird ordered the fast-tracking of a "planning pathway" for public parkland at Cooks Cove after broadcaster Alan Jones wrote to him about a push by prominent property developer John Boyd to develop the area, we reveal today. Read the report here.

ICYMI

Darren Galea, in a photo alongside an orchid at his father's home, lived a quiet life. Photo: Geoff Jones

How could a quiet, single man, with little interaction beyond his family and his work as a McDonald's restaurant manager, meet with such a brutal death? Thats the question police are asking about the death of Darren Galea. Rachel Olding's report here.