Minns made a pre-dawn visit to the Sydney Markets ahead of meeting with manufacturing workers spruiking Labor’s plan to rebuild domestic manufacturing.

The premier’s first stop was at a pre-polling booth in the marginal lower north shore Sydney seat of Willoughby, where he greeted voters with local MP Tim James.

The seat, previously held by former premier Gladys Berejiklian, was once considered blue ribbon territory for the Liberals.

The Liberals face a strong challenge from Independent candidate Larissa Penn.

Asked if the former premier’s popularity would impact the local vote, the premier said James had taken after his predecessor.

“Glad (Gladys) has been a great servant to the people of Willoughby, and Tim has followed very well in Glad’s footsteps,” Perrottet said.

Pollsters have predicted Labor will form minority government, while the premier’s personal approval is also on the slide.

Perrottet said there was a lot a stake and he would fight the way to the end.

“This election is not about the Liberal Party. It’s not about the National Party,” he said.

“This election is about the great people of NSW.”

Both leaders are driving home their visions for the state and seeking to position themselves as the best economic manager as cost of living pressures bite.

Consulting firm PwC revealed the issue as the primary concern for NSW voters from the city to the bush as they head to ballot boxes.

Of 1000 NSW residents surveyed in the company’s Citizen Pulse Check, more than half felt housing affordability over the next five to 10 years to be most important.

Concern over cost was consistent across all age groups and demographics, from the regions to the inner city, PWC NSW Government Leader Nathan Schlesinger said.

Treasurer Matt Kean said the strength of the NSW economy didn’t happen by accident.

“Look at the infrastructure we’ve built, the $178 billion worth of infrastructure, new roads, motorways, railways, schools, hospitals, rolled out right across NSW because of our strong economic management,” he told ABC TV.

“That’s all at risk if Labor gets into office because they’ll take our state backwards.”

NSW Labor announced that if victorious, the first piece of legislation passed would quarantine Sydney Water and Hunter Water from privatisation.

It comes after confidential documents revealed the Berejiklian government sought advice on selling Sydney Water in 2021 as it looked to fund infrastructure projects in Sydney.

“The fate of Sydney Water is on the ballot on Saturday. Which is why protecting Sydney Water will be our first legislative act after the campaign,” Minns said on Thursday.

Perrottet has repeatedly ruled out any plan to sell off Sydney Water.