"It's a shame they had to parachute someone in - I would have thought there were many worthwhile candidates in the electorate," Mrs Gash said.

"He's not on the electoral roll and that's a fact; he can't even vote for himself. I'd like to know, I'd ask when is he going to move?"

Mrs Gash defended herself against assertions by Mr Boyle that she had failed to address unemployment and had not done enough to promote South Coast tourism.

"Unemployment is the lowest we've ever had in the Shoalhaven - it's time he knew the facts," she said.

"As far as tourism is concerned, we have one of the highest day visitation rates in the state, and I was one of the region's tourism managers for many years (with) six awards for tourism under my hat," she added.

Mr Boyle was forced to defend his district credentials, insisting he previously lived in the electorate and still ran a business in Barrack Heights.

He now lives 1km outside the electoral boundary in Lake Illawarra.

"I was chosen because I love the area, I run a small business, I've been through the hard knocks school and I care - and that will be the basis of my grassroots campaign," he said.

"I've been given the opportunity to represent the area and that's what I intend to do."

Meantime, it has emerged the ALP's Gilmore federal electorate council, made up of delegates from the seat's branches, unanimously passed a motion last Sunday calling on Mr Boyle to withdraw his preselection nomination.

Mr Boyle said the bitter opposition had merely firmed his resolve.

"I know I've got to work harder, and I'm confident they will come back to the fold," he said.