Sky News and The Daily Telegraph to host final NSW Election debate

Voters are increasingly supporting Premier Dominic Perrottet but Labor is still ahead on a two-party preferred basis, as the leaders commit to a final, crucial debate hosted in western Sydney by The Daily Telegraph and Sky News.

Voters are increasingly supported Premier Dominic Perrottet but Labor is still ahead on a two-party preferred basis, according to a new poll showing the election result remains on a knife-edge ahead of the March election.

A new opinion poll, released by Roy Morgan on Monday, showed primary vote support for the Coalition increased 1.5 points to 35 per cent in January, leading Labor, which was down one point to 32.5 per cent primary vote support.

But on a two-party preferred basis, the poll showed Labor leading the Coalition 52 per cent to 48 per cent.

Two-party-preferred calculations are made more difficult due to NSW’s optional preferential voting system.

The primary vote for other parties and independents was also at 32.5 per cent.

Premier Dominic Perrottet (pictured) will face off against Chris Minns in the Sky News/The Daily Telegraph People’s Forum on March 22. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gaye Gerard

The poll, which shows the election is result still up in the air, comes as it was announced the two men vying to lead NSW will slug it out in front of 100 undecided voters in Western Sydney in a crucial final face-off just two days before voters go to the polls.

The Sky News/The Daily Telegraph People’s Forum will be held in Western Sydney on March 22, just days before polling day on March 25.

The debate will be a pivotal moment for both leaders, with Chris Minns (pictured) keep to win the traditional Labor heartland of western Sydney.

The major party leaders will face questions from 100 undecided voters, selected by Q&A Market Research, during the one-hour forum moderated by Sky News chief anchor Kieran Gilbert.

The Daily Telegraph editor Ben English said the masthead was proud to again co-host the “landmark moment” in the election campaign.

“The Sky News/The Daily Telegraph People’s Forum is a pivotal event that has in the past famously helped decide the election outcome,” he said.

“I can’t wait to return to western Sydney, the scene of the last People’s Forum, to hear both leaders slug it out in one of the most critical electorates in the state.’’

The 2019 People’s Forum was a critical moment in the last election campaign. Picture: Damian Shaw

Western Sydney will be a battleground for both major parties, and is set to be where the election is won or lost.

Gilbert said the final debate “has the potential to truly shift the dial for undecided voters”.

“Given its unscripted and unpredictable nature, the People’s Forum will not only give both leaders the best platform to debate but also give New South Wales voters tuning in a chance to see both men put forward their most convincing elevator pitch one last time,” he said.

English said rising cost of living concerns are top of mind for voters in western Sydney, particularly as interest rate hikes start to bite.

English said the last NSW People’s Forum, held in 2019 between former premier Gladys Berejiklian and then-Labor Leader Michael Daley, proved a critical moment of the campaign after Mr Daley fumbled on the cost of his TAFE policy.

“This People’s Forum will be the last and most important debate of the State Election and will test the fortitude of both leaders as they compete under pressure to win the hearts and minds of undecided voters,” Sky News Australia CEO Paul Whittaker said.