19 December 2022

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

| Claire Fenwicke
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Terry Campese and campaign volunteers

Former Canberra Raiders captain Terry Campese (second from left) is in Labor’s preselection race for the seat of Monaro. He joined NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns and Labor Monaro Duty MLC Tara Moriarty in Queanbeyan to make the announcement. Photo: Supplied.

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.”

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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.

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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.

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Greg Cameron8:01 am 24 Dec 22

As at 24 December a Labor candidate has not been announced. We go into Christmas expecting that a Minns Labor government will terminate development of the Bungendore High School on the Majara Street site chosen by the Department of Education.

Tara Moriarty told Parliament on September 21: “The Opposition absolutely supports the building of a high school in Bungendore.” She said this when calling for “the production of state papers” which is permitted under “Standing Order 52”. Ms Moriarty called for the papers for the purpose of Labor finding a reason to oppose the Majara Stret site.

Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council, which is objecting to the Majara Street site, said on December 21: “The Standing order 52 still has not been progressed.”

What does that mean?

Will Labor’s candidate explain why it is Labor policy to terminate the Majara Street site?

Greg Cameron11:20 am 21 Dec 22

I cannot vote for a Labor candidate for Monaro because of Labor’s opposition to building the Bungendore High School on the site selected by the Department of Education. Labor’s position reflects that of the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council. It is understandable if a sitting councillor is not selected to become Labor’s candidate, because of council’s desire for the government to cancel the current project and to start the process of selecting a different site, which might not be in Bungendore.

Does QPRC oppose the use of the southern corner of the railway station car park as the government’s response to the community’s request for more dedicated High School car parking?

William Newby6:08 am 20 Dec 22

Politics is fast becoming the pathway to easy cash for retired famous people.
Why would you sell off the respect the community have for you by entering the snake pit?

Greg Cameron6:03 pm 19 Dec 22

Does Mr Campese agree with QPRC policy opposing development of a high school at Bungendore on the Majara Street site selected by the Department of Education? Is it Labor policy that a high school will not be built on the Majara Street site? My vote is going to the candidate who supports a high school being built on the site selected by the Department of Education.

Play football; become a politician.
Such an easy way to tarnish an otherwise good reputation

Campo was certainly more cranky in his later years playing for the Blues. Hopefully he’ll put a couple of colleagues on their backsides if he’s voted in.

At least he’s got more life experience than that puppet Pocock

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