Leader of the NSW Opposition Luke Foley visited Bega on Friday to make the announcement and throw the weight of his party behind her campaign ahead of next year’s state election. 

While the region has been held by incumbent MP Andrew Constance since 2003, the two Labor members remained optimistic at their chance of success, saying it was time for a change. 

“Bega has been seen as a safe Liberal seat, but we’re up for turning this into a contest,” Mr Foley said. 

“We will give people a real choice here, and the people of the region deserve that.”

Still maintaining her passion for fighting for the region’s issues, Ms Atkinson said she was concerned the Bega Valley was not getting its fair share of attention from the state government. 

“We have voices in Bega that don’t seem to be heard and seem to be drowned out by voices in Sydney,” she said. 

For example, she said, the government had committed to rebuilding and refurbishing two Sydney stadiums using an infrastructure fund called Restart NSW, but there were still staffing issues at the South East Regional Hospital to be addressed and she questioned which was more important. 

The main issues she will be campaigning on are education, health, unemployment rates and “the youth exodus” from the Valley, saying not enough opportunities were provided for young people.

“The events of the last months have reminded me that people need to be at the heart of my campaign,” she said. 

“I think Andrew Constance has been distracted by his responsibilities in Sydney.

“I’m concerned when you’ve been a member for such a long time and the community doesn’t seem to be better off under your leadership, maybe it’s time for another person to take over.”