Former Canberra Raiders captain and aspiring politician Terry Campese has taken a swipe at personal attacks against him from Sydney media in his shock announcement that he had withdrawn as Labor candidate for Monaro in the upcoming NSW elections.
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He entered the electoral race in December.
"Today I'm announcing that I will step down as Labor's candidate," Mr Campese said in a statement.
"Not because my heart's not in it but because I love this community too much to drag it through the media - whether they are truthful or not.
"Unfortunately I have ... come to realise that, for some, politics is not about representing people but about their own power with a 'win at all costs' mentality."
NSW Labor leader Chris Minns made the blunt admission it would be "very difficult to win [Monaro] without him [Campese]" and the search would now ramp up for a replacement.
"I'm not going to beat around the bush, we need to make sure we have a candidate in the field as soon as possible," he said.
"We realise we are in an arm wrestle and there's still a long way to go before polling day so I'll be honest about it, this makes our task a lot more difficult in Monaro and in the election campaign."
There have been reports in Sydney media recently about Mr Campese visiting in prison a friend convicted of drug dealing while doing work with his charity. It also published photos of him attending a dress-up party wearing a police hat, underwear and a tie.
The re-election chances of the incumbent Nationals member for the NSW seat, Nichole Overall, have skyrocketed since the announcement, with NSW Labor now scrambling to find a fresh candidate.
Ms Overall won a byelection for the seat 12 months ago after the sudden resignation of Nationals member and former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro, who became embroiled in a major controversy involving the circumstances surrounding his fast-tracked appointment to a plum, high-paid government trade post in New York.
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Monaro is a huge 20,500 square kilometre NSW electorate with around 58,000 voters.
It sits to the east and south of the ACT and has Queanbeyan as its largest single population base but also encompasses the smaller towns and agricultural/forestry communities of Braidwood, Cooma, Bombala and south to the Victorian border.
Mr Campese said in his statement that he had "never considered being a politician" until he was approached by NSW Labor late last year and was "informed of the difference that a good member of parliament can make for the community".
He made a number of electoral commitments during his short campaign, including a new high school for Googong, stage two of the Jerrabomberra High School, $600,000 for the Yvonne Cuschieri respite centre in Queanbeyan, as well as new basketball and football facilities in Queanbeyan.
However, Mr Campese became the subject of what he believes is a systematic attack by Sydney-based media over his fast-tracked pre-selection process, parties that he had attended and even his charity foundation work.
In expressing his disenchantment with the coverage of his campaign, Mr Campese said "it's clear we need a fresh start in New South Wales and our communities do, too".
"Perhaps in the future things will change and we will see more community members put their hand up to be involved in politics.
"I will continue to serve my community in the same way I have over the last decade, through the work of my foundation and other charities."
The former NRL star and captain-coach of the Queanbeyan Blues heads up the Terry Campese Foundation, focused on assisting young people, including those who are serving time in prison.
Mr Campese, born and educated in Queanbeyan and for four years the captain of the Canberra Raiders, was seen as having the necessary high community profile needed to mount a challenge against Ms Overall, the wife of the former Queanbeyan-Palerang mayor.
Strongly supported by Labor leader Chris Minns, Mr Campese's withdrawal is seen as a blow to the chances of change in government in NSW next month however, the most recent polls indicated Labor had a slight lead.
In a press conference on Friday, NSW Labor leader Chris Minns said he spoke with Mr Campese about his decision on Thursday night.
"We had a conversation and he made clear he [Campese] wanted to focus on his family," Mr Minns said
"Terry talked to me about the circumstances relating to his candidacy and the impact on his family and under those circumstances I think he made the right decision."
