Lisa Wilkinson’s daughter Billi FitzSimons grills Dominic Perrottet in pre-election interview

Billi FitzSimons has channelled her hard-hitting journalist mother during a fiery interview with NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, making her mother Lisa Wilkinson, ‘very proud.’

The daughter of journalists Lisa Wilkinson and Peter FitzSimons sat down with the premier ahead of the state election on Saturday for a video interview.

Ms FitzSimons, the editor of The Daily Aus, asked Mr Perrottet a series of questions about his party’s policies on healthcare, climate, and the housing market.

She asked the state leader why, unlike most jurisdictions in Australia, NSW hadn’t committed to or implemented mandatory nurse-to-patient ratios.

‘We think the approach we take works,’ Mr Perrottet replied.

‘I understand that there are different perspectives when relation to this. Ultimately we have to do everything we can to ease the burden the healthcare system.

‘I’m very proud of the fact NSW has the strongest healthcare system in the country.’

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet was interviewed by Billi FitzSimons in the lead-up to the state election on Saturday, March 25

When asked about funding for state schools, Mr Perrottet said his party had invested a record amount of money in public education.

‘We predominantly fund state schools in the public system in NSW,’ he said.

‘We looked at all areas of government funding and made a significant investment into our public education system. I’m very much focused on getting better outcomes in education, and that’s exactly what we’ve done.’

The premier was asked how he was preparing the state for its next natural disaster.

Mr Perrottet said his government, if re-elected, would work on reducing carbon emissions after he witnessed first-hand the devastation in flood-affected areas.

‘We are a country where there are floods, there are bushfires,’ he said.

‘We need to make sure we’re don’t just do the things we’ve done in the past because we’ll just be in the same position next time.’

Billi (pictured with her mother) graduated from the University of Sydney in 2019 and was appointed editor of the news website in March, 2022

Billi concluded the interview by asking the premier a more personal question. 

‘You recently admitted that you have the occasional vape and what your favourite flavour is. What message does that send to young people?’ she asked. 

‘Well, the first thing I would say you shouldn’t smoke,’ Mr Perrottet hit back. 

‘And I’ve made that very clear. When it comes to vaping, we’ve invested a lot in making sure those public messages are loud and clear.

‘No one is perfect. No one’s perfect. And I have found vaping occasionally has helped me get off cigarettes. You can [vape] in NSW with a prescription.’

Billi urged her followers to watch her interviews with Mr Perrottet and Labor leader Chris Minns on her personal Instagram page. 

‘Great work darling. Very proud,’ her mother, Lisa Wilkinson, commented.  

Mr Perrottet will be up against Opposition leader Chris Minns (pictured with his family) when NSW residents hit the polls on Saturday, March 25

Billi worked for online publication Mamamia throughout university before landing a job as a political writer at The Daily Aus after graduating.

She graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications), Government and International Relations, Digital Cultures in 2019.

Billi was appointed editor of The Daily Aus in March of last year.