Each given 90 seconds to answer business-related questions, the six local voices were tasked with championing the vision of the party and promoting their own suitability for election.

Greatest division existed when the discussion turned to the Payroll Tax. 

Under current regulations, businesses are taxed at a rate of 5.45 per cent for every dollar earned above $850,000. 

Labor candidate Dan Hayes presented the opinion that the tax does not greatly affect small businesses.

"Less than 10 per cent of businesses in NSW are liable to pay this tax," he said.

"The business chamber is suggesting raising the threshold to $1 million but you can't have it both ways.

"You want money for infrastructure, hospitals, schools it has to come from somewhere, you can't then say you don't want to be taxed," Mr Hayes said.

Shooters, Farmers and Fishers Party candidate Sebastian McDonagh called the policy a "tax on employment that just doesn't make sense."

He advocated for a five-year exception on stamp duty and a raising of the threshold to encourage business growth.

Independent candidate and current sitting member Dr Joe McGirr presented his desire to raise the threshold to $4 million, saying "the government can go further to support regional and rural businesses."

"While only 15 per cent of the profits from the big operations, the Woolies and the Coles [for example], the lifeblood of our communities is the small operations and we need to do all we can to encourage them to stay," Dr McGirr said.

Meanwhile, Nationals candidate Mackenna Powell stayed true to the party's policy to raise the revenue threshold to $1 million by 2022 but indicated she too would lobby for some relaxation in the local sector.

Energy costs ignited disciplined debate, with Greens candidate Ray Goodlass describing the privatisation of power as "the worst state government decision in recent years".

Dr McGirr shared his belief that the root cause of increase comes from a lack of collegiality between state and federal politics.

"The cost of electricity is a huge burden, and for the last decade, unfortunately, there's been a lack of direction," he said.

"We need to invest in renewables that have the potential to reduce costs.

"We need certainty in the market and we need to reduce unnecessary competition, make it straightforward for people to find the best deal for them."

As the state with the second highest energy costs in the nation, NSW Business Chamber director of policy and advocacy Chris Lamont said that this is "without a doubt the single biggest issue called into the business chamber, and frankly there's disappointment with how federal and state politics has dealt with the issue."

Mr Taggart countered arguments by claiming the focus on renewable energy would force the prices even higher. He called for continued investment in nuclear and coal power. 

"Keep the Liddell power station open [...] otherwise we're going to go the way of South Australia and have soaring prices," he said.

The six candidates were close to agreement on the issue of unemployment, saying the state's current skills shortage would be best rectified by resourcing TAFE.

"I agree that strengthening TAFE will make a difference," Dr McGirr said.

"But to look at youth unemployment you have to see it as linked to what's happening at school. We need to address the attractiveness of a non-university pathway," he said.

Equipping students with basic life skills and creating a network of support to transition to the workforce was Dr McGirr's solution.

Conservative's Mr Taggart slammed the current government's employment and population policies. He described advocating for Wagga's population to exceed 100,000 in under 20 years, as an "unmitigated disaster".

In the realm of infrastructure spending, Nationals' Ms Powell noted the state's 20-year economic plan to turn Wagga into a regional hub.

The Special Activation Precinct, as it has been termed, is expected to create 6000 jobs in the community over the next two decade. 

But Labor candidate Dan Hayes blustered the claim, saying a framework of discussion needs to exist between state politics and councils if infrastructure projects are to be effective.

"The state government often chooses something popular and not something that is needed [that is], needed by priority and not by Facebook likes," Mr Hayes said.

Hosted by Wagga Business Chamber at the RSL Club, Wednesday night's forum was chaired by Chris Lamont, director of policy and advocacy at the NSW business chamber.

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