Throsby MP Stephen Jones has been officially endorsed as Labor’s candidate for the seat, after easily winning preselection on Saturday afternoon.
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He defeated Dapto nurse John Rumble with a vote of 90-47.
Mr Jones has been declaring he would easily win the ballot for months, but on Saturday afternoon he said he was ‘‘very pleased’’ to be once again representing Throsby at an election.
‘‘It’s a great honour, I know it’s going to be a tough election, I take nothing for granted,’’ he said.
‘‘From tomorrow I’ll be out there working again to endure I can re-take the seat for Labor and continue to represent the people in this great area.’’
The outspoken politician has ruffled feathers in the Labor party in the past for his stance on same-sex marriage, but won support for his push to ban gambling advertising in sport.
‘‘I’ve worked hard and people may not agree with everything I’ve taken a stand on but I think they recognise that I am a guy who calls it as I see it,’’ he said.
‘‘If I think something has the be done, I’ll go out there and campaign for it.’’
He said his campaign would begin immediately.
‘‘I don’t think campaigns are won or lost in the six weeks leading up to the election,’’ he said.
‘‘I take the view that you work hard everyday and go to your voters on your record.’’
He said he would continue to focus on helping to ensure his electorate’s job security, as well as Labor’s school funding plan and the disability insurance scheme.
Late on Saturday, Mr Jones had received dozens of support messages on Twitter.
The ALP’s NSW branch secretary Sam Dastyari offered his congratulations, as did University of Wollongong SMART Infrastructure chief operating officer Tania Brown who said: ‘‘sanity has prevailed. Rank and file has given a resounding endorsement.’’