Ms Berejiklian, 46, has been sworn in as the 45th Premier of NSW.
At an earlier media conference, she was non-committal about whether Sydney council amalgamations could be reversed.
“There are a number of issues which we will look at and listen about,” she said.
“I am not going to make any definitive policy announcements here today, that’s not my role.”
Ms Berejiklian said her three priorities were local infrastructure – “making sure every community gets its fair share” – housing affordability and a strong economy.
She believed increasing the supply of new homes was the best way to help more people to buy homes, but she would also listen to advice from others.
Ms Berejiklian said her father was a boilermaker, a welder, and one of his first jobs in Sydney was working on the Opera House.
Her mother had left school at 15 to help support her family as a nurse. Both had been shift workers.
”But, there wasn’t a week that went by when my parents didn’t remind us of how lucky we were to have the opportunities we have here in NSW,” she said.
“In our household, there was no room for complaining or making excuses – we just got on with the job.”
Ms Berejiklian, who was born in Sydney after her parents migrated from Armenia, said she could not speak English when she started school.
She paid tribute to teachers in the public education system “who saw something in me and encouraged me”.
”And, that’s why you will have in me the strongest supporter of Gonski, because I know what a public education can do for somebody.”
EARLIER
Gladys Berejiklian will be the new Premier of NSW after being elected leader of the parliamentary Liberal Party.
Ms Berejiklian, 46, who served as Treasurer and, before that, as Transport Minister, was unopposed at the meeting on Monday morning following Mike Baird’s decision to retire from politics.
Finance minister Dominic Perrottet was elected deputy Liberal leader and is tipped to be named Treasuer when the new ministry is announced.
Ms Berejiklian is due to be formally sworn in at Government House on Monday afternoon.
Ms Berejiklian has already made her mark in St George and Sutherland Shire.
As Transport Minister, she introduced the 2013 rail timetable, which cut the number of services, including peak period express trains, to Kogarah, Rockdale and other stations in St George.
The same timetable provided more frequent and faster services on the Cronulla line.
Ms Berejiklian was also responsible for several station upgrades, including Oatley, Arncliffe, Heathcote, Waterfall, Jannali and Narwee, some of which have yet to be completed.
As Treasurer, she visited St George Hospital to announce funding for the new critical services block, which will be completed this year.
Funding was also provided for Sutherland Hospital’s new emergency department, which will open in the middle of the year.
