A Labor candidate for Calare has been "preselected and is ready to go" according to former candidate and current Bathurst councillor Jess Jennings, with an official announcement likely within the next week.
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But with the federal election a little over four weeks away, the late announcement means the Labor candidate, who will hail from Lithgow, will have a major task to boost their profile in the safe Nationals seat.
But Cr Jennings, who unsuccessfully contested Calare for Labor in the past three federal elections, said the candidate will be an excellent match for both incumbent Nationals MP Andrew Gee and independent candidate Kate Hook, who has so far emerged as Mr Gee's main competition.
"The candidate will be an excellent match against both the incumbent MP and independent challenger," he said.
"She hails from the Lithgow side of the electorate, where she has plenty of support, and the fact she's from a health background will resonate with voters who have felt let down by federal health support, especially in Bathurst and Lithgow.
The candidate has been in the wings for quite some time.
- Jess Jennings
"The candidate has been in the wings for quite some time, but from what I understand, there's been a delay in the head office finalising candidates, as Labor goes through a strong vetting process to lock in the best possible candidates."
The delay in announcing a Labor candidate has been a point of curiosity across the Calare electorate, especially considering Cr Jennings announced his candidacy five months prior to the 2019 poll.
But Cr Jennings doesn't feel Labor's late entry to the Calare race will significantly impact votes for the party across the electorate.
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"What really matters is the choices on election day, and I think Labor will retain the second spot on the two-party preferred vote," he said.
"At this stage, Calare is still a safe Coalition seat, but if the Labor candidate can eat into that margin significantly, the electorate may get better results in the future from a policy perspective.
"It's all about putting good policies out there and listening to the community, which is a stark contrast to what we've seen from the Morrison government; a federal ICAC is long overdue."
In past federal elections, Labor has fared better in Bathurst and Lithgow as opposed to Orange, where the National vote has been relatively untroubled.
But with a swing of 13.3 per cent towards the Nationals, it is unlikely Mr Gee will lose his seat regardless of who forms government, however a reduced margin is entirely possible.
Cr Jennings said Labor's promise of bulk-billed urgent medical clinics could help fill severe gaps in Bathurst's health services, which continue to be an issue.
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