Mark Pearson of the Animal Justice micro-party has edged out the controversial No Land Tax party for the final spot in the NSW upper house.
Electoral officials have formally declared the 21 NSW upper house members from last month's election with veteran MP Fred Nile to hold the balance of power.
The 80-year-old Christian Democratic party leader, whose party holds two seats in the Legislative Council, attended the Sydney count in person on Friday morning.
His vote will be crucial to the re-elected Baird coalition government as it seeks to get its poles-and-wires partial privatisation through the parliament.
The coalition government holds 20 of 42 positions in the upper house.
Rev Nile said the results were "comforting".
"It's wonderful, and I thank the people who voted for me to allow me to represent them - obviously a large section of the Christian community, but also people who want good values and family values in our society," he said.
Rev Nile will hold an inquiry into the merits of the government's electricity leasing plan, but expects the proposal to go ahead.
"It'll be very beneficial for the people of this state to have all the facts laid on the table under oath - not rhetoric, not slogans, but facts," he told reporters on Friday.
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