NSW Labor labelled ‘amateurs’ by Perrottet after analysis shows election policy risks budget blowout

Chris Minns defends promise to scrap public sector wages cap as party leaders scramble in final week of NSW election campaigning

• Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates
• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

The New South Wales opposition leader, Chris Minns, has been forced to defend the cost of his signature wages policy after the state’s independent budget analysis agency noted “significant risks” of a blowout.

In a frantic final week of campaigning that has seen Dominic Perrottet set out on a two-day tour through the state’s south, focus has shifted to Labor’s promise to scrap the Coalition’s longstanding public sector wages cap.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup