Canberra Raiders great Terry Campese in the running for Labor's Monaro campaign

He’s been a Raiders captain, launched a not-for-profit foundation and served as a community recovery officer following the Black Summer bushfires.

Now Terry Campese’s entered the preselection race to represent Labor in the seat of Monaro in the upcoming NSW election.

NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns announced Mr Campese’s intention to run in Queanbeyan where the latter was born and bred.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being on the ground and working for the community and I see this as the next step to grow and be better for our community,” Mr Campese said.

“I know Monaro and I want to make that impact and hopefully be a voice for the community.”

His face is one that many in the region will recognise.

Mr Campese captained the Canberra Raiders between 2010 and 2014, and represented NSW in State of Origin and Australia on the international stage.

He launched the Terry Campese Foundation in 2012, worked as an ambassador for Canteen Cancer, Ronald McDonald House and as a patron of Raising Hope Education Foundation.

Outside sport, Mr Campese worked as a community recovery officer in Braidwood following the Black Summer bushfires and is currently Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council’s community program coordinator.

He also captains and coaches the Queanbeyan Blues.

Mr Campese admitted that while he was a swing voter in the past, he wanted to use politics to further his commitment to the community and felt Labor was the right fit for him.

He said while he’s got a lot to learn, he’s keen on the challenge.

“I’ll be getting out there and listening to the community because their priorities are mine,” Mr Campese said.

Labor previously had a candidate for the Monaro seat, however, Mr Minns said they had pulled out to focus on local council issues.

With less than 100 days until the March 2023 election, he admitted the party needed to get a candidate out there now and that Mr Campese already had a recognisable profile both as a former sporting star and community advocate.

“Regional communities need someone who’s got a profile, who can fight for their township and not get lost in the crowd,” Mr Minns said.

“As Terry said, he’s got a steep learning curve, but no one’s going to pull the wool over his eyes about this town and this community, he knows it like the back of his hand.”

At a by-election earlier this year, Monaro voters returned a National Party candidate, the first female representative elected for the seat, Nichole Overall.

But Mr Minns said after 12 years, it was time for the Liberal/Nationals state government to move over.

“They’ve had a long time to look at the problems facing this community and the wider state,” he said.

“They haven’t done it in the 12 years they’ve been in power, what makes people think they’re suddenly going to turn a corner in years 13, 14, 15 and 16?

“This will be a tough seat for Labor to win in the upcoming state election, but it’s my strong view that politics is best when we’ve got real people, genuine community activists, that sit in Parliament and represent their communities.”

The preselection process will be finalised by Friday, 23 December.