Lisa Wilkinson’s daughter follows in her mother’s footsteps as a journalist with a very gripping interview that makes her mother “very proud”
- Premier of New South Wales interviewed by Billi FitzSimons
- He questioned Dominic Perrottet about party policies.
- Billi is the editor of the news website The Daily Aus
Billi FitzSimons has channeled her hard-hitting journalist mom during a fiery interview with NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, making her mum Lisa Wilkinson “very proud.”
The daughter of journalists Lisa Wilkinson and Peter FitzSimons sat down with the prime minister ahead of state elections on Saturday for a video interview.
The editor of the news website The Daily Aus asked Perrottet a series of questions about his party’s policies on health, climate and housing.
He asked the state leader why, unlike most jurisdictions in Australia, NSW had not committed to or implemented mandatory nurse-to-patient ratios.
“We think the approach we’re taking works,” Mr. Perrottet replied.
‘I understand that there are different perspectives on this. Ultimately, we have to do everything we can to ease the burden on the healthcare system.
“I am very proud of the fact that NSW has the strongest healthcare system in the country.”
Billi FitzSimons (pictured with her journalist mother Lisa Wilkinson in 2017) questioned Dominic Perrottet about his smoking habits and policies during a formal interview.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet was interviewed by Billi FitzSimons in the run-up to the state election on Saturday March 25.
When asked about public school funding, Perrottet said his party had invested a record amount of money in public education.
“We mainly fund public schools in the New South Wales public system,” he said.
‘We looked at all areas of government funding and made a significant investment in our public education system. I am very focused on getting better results in education and that is exactly what we have done.’
The prime minister was asked how he was preparing the state for its next natural disaster.
Perrottet said his government, if re-elected, would work to reduce carbon emissions after witnessing firsthand the devastation in flood-affected areas.
“We are a country where there are floods, there are forest fires,” he said.
“We need to make sure that we don’t just do the things that we’ve done in the past because next time we’ll be in the same position.”
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 prime minister a more personal question.
‘You recently admitted that you have an occasional vape and what your favorite flavor is. What message does that send to young people?’ she asked.
“Well, the first thing I would say is that you shouldn’t smoke,” replied Mr. Perrottet.
And I have made it very clear. When it comes to vaping, we’ve invested heavily in making sure those public messages are loud and clear.
‘Nobody is perfect. Nobody is perfect. And I found that occasional vaping has helped me quit cigarettes. You can (vape) in NSW with a prescription.
Billi urged her followers to check out her interviews with Perrottet and Labor leader Chris Minns on her personal Instagram page.
‘Good job honey. Very proud,’ commented her mother, Lisa Wilkinson.
Perrottet will face opposition leader Chris Minns (pictured with his family) when NSW residents go to the polls on Saturday March 25.
Billi worked for the online publication Mamamia throughout college before landing a job as a political writer at The Daily Aus after graduation.
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.
