Self-employed handyman and "ordinary bloke" Stephen Hewitt has been selected as the ALP candidate for the seat of New England in next month's federal election.
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Mr Hewitt has just returned to the electorate to be closer to his family.
"I am not a polished or professional politician ... but I do have a strong commitment to social justice and believe in the fair-go," Mr Hewitt said.
His appointment ends weeks of dithering by Labor's Armidale and Tamworth branches to find a suitable candidate to run and follows a threat from head office that they would parachute in a candidate from outside the electorate.
Mr Hewitt joins Nationals' candidate Barnaby Joyce, Greens' candidate Pat Schultz, the Citizens Electoral Council’s Richard Whitten and Independent Jamie McIntyre in the fight for New England.
Full report and photos in Wednesday's Express.
