The man most likely to be the next Throsby MP had senior level involvement in the campaign against asbestos-plagued company James Hardie and rode a bike from Wollongong to Perth.
Stephen Jones, now the Community and Public Sector Union national secretary, moved to Wollongong in 1974 at the age of nine and attended St Brigid's Catholic Parish Primary School at Gwynneville, Edmund Rice College (where he was school captain and dux) and the University of Wollongong.
He has a law degree and has worked for several unions, which saw him leave Wollongong several times from 1993 to take up positions in Sydney and other states. He has run a number of high-profile campaigns against Telstra, One-Tel, Australia Post and call centres in pursuit of workers' rights.
While employed by the ACTU in 2004-05, Mr Jones worked closely with now federal MP Greg Combet and Bernie Banton to fight for the rights of asbestos victims making claims against James Hardie.
Mr Combet, who said he was a supporter of Jennie George and would not comment on Throsby, told the Mercury he had asked Mr Jones to help over James Hardie because he "wanted some of the best and brightest around me".
"Stephen Jones is and was back then a very capable person, very intelligent and hard working. I knew I could rely on him."
In 1987 Mr Jones, then a student, rode a bike from Wollongong to Perth for a year because he wanted to see Australia.
His dog, which he pulled on a small trailer, made it to South Australia before being dropped off and returned home.
Mr Jones has been a youth and disability support worker, research officer for the Australian Quadraplegic Association, and 2020 summit delegate.
Community advocate Vicki Curran wrote in support of Mr Jones, who she knew from a church youth group in West Wollongong.
"Stephen used to organise all our social activities," she said.
"He had incredible leadership and social skills. Everyone admired him and looked up to him. He had the courage and confidence to be different."
When approached for comment, Mr Jones renewed his support for Ms George.
"Jennie is the MP for Throsby, she has my 100 per cent support and I think she has been a fantastic local representative, and I think people in Wollongong would like to see her go around again," he said.
Pressed to dispel debate about where he lives, he said his family had "owned a property (unit) in Minnamurra since the 1980s" and he spends about three days each week there.
"Since 2007 we've spent our time split between Minnamurra and Sydney depending on where my work has taken me. I have also spent a lot of time in Canberra and Melbourne and Brisbane and as much time as possible in Minnamurra ... the kids love it."
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