NSW Labor will contest the Monaro by-election, prompted by the resignation of former deputy premier John Barilaro, despite calling victory an "impossible task".
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Opposition Leader Chris Minns on Friday announced the party would put up a candidate for the Nationals-held seat, in one of five electoral battles sparked by a spate of resignations in October.
"Labor hasn't held the seat for 10 years. It will be an impossible task," he said.
"(We) will have a mammoth task ahead to regain the trust of voters.
"But we believe voters deserve a choice about who represents them and to send a message to the Liberals and Nationals."
Mr Barilaro won the seat off Labor in 2011, and currently holds the electorate on a 2.5 per cent margin.
A candidate is yet to be determined, but Mr Minns will visit the electorate over the weekend.
Days after former premier Gladys Berejiklian resigned her leadership in October under a cloud of corruption allegations, then-Nationals leader John Barilaro announced he would follow her out the door.
Since then Transport Minister and Bega MP Andrew Constance has announced he'll quit state parliament for a tilt at a federal seat, as will Holsworthy MP Melanie Gibbons.
Jodi McKay, who stood down as Labor leader following poor results in the Upper Hunter by-election in May, has also announced she wants out of politics.
No date has been set for the five by-elections, which NSW Labor last month called a waste of taxpayer money amid the pandemic.
The party has since announced it will also contest the seat of Bega - which neighbours Monaro - painting themselves as the underdogs in that battle too.
"It will be almost impossible to win, but the people of Bega deserve a choice," Mr Minns said at the time.
Australian Associated Press
