Terry Campese quits: Labor Monaro hopeful and ex-Canberra Raiders captain leaves political career

An ex-NRL star turned hopeful MP has sensationally quit his campaign to be the next Labor member for Monaro after he was questioned about visiting his friend in jail and over attending an adults-only party as a scantily-clad cop.

Retired Canberra Raiders captain Terry Campese was vying for the NSW seat of Monaro in the south of the state but announced on Friday he was quitting the race ahead of the March 25 election. 

‘Today I’m announcing that I will step down as Labor’s candidate. Not because my heart isn’t in it but because I love this community too much to drag it through the media – whether they are truthful or not,’ he said in a statement. 

‘I had never considered being a politician until I was approached late last year and informed of the difference a good Member of Parliament can make for the community.’ 

The withdrawal means Labor leader Chris Minns has just five weeks to find a new candidate to fill the crucial seat, which the party must take from the Nationals to win the election.

Campese, who is the nephew of Wallabies great David, had a decorated career as a five-eighth, lock and halfback, playing 139 games for the Raiders, and one game each for NSW and Australia. 

Campese announced his candidacy in December last year but has quit five weeks before the NSW state election on March 25

The latest allegation to hit Campese was that he visited his school friend Adam Hunter, a convicted drug dealer, in prison to raise funds for his youth charity.

A video from the prison showed a man, who the Daily Telegraph reported was Hunter, endorsing the Terry Campese Foundation. 

‘I have been friends with Mr Hunter since school and remain so today. If everyone who made a mistake was abandoned, it would be a very sad and lonely world,’ Campese told the publication. 

‘The Terry Campese Foundation applied to the Macquarie Correctional Centre to conduct a fundraising activity and the centre chose the Terry Campese Foundation as its 2022 charity partner.’

Campese denied allegations he used charity resources to attend the prison and said he used his own car to drive to the fundraiser. 

His decision to quit comes after Campese was filmed attending an adults-only party last year – wearing only blue underwear, a tie and a police hat.

The racy video showed a ‘spanking station’ sign and a woman drinking alcohol from Campese’s body while other women whipped each other with sex toys and bondage items hung from trees.

The footage also showed Campese burying his face in a woman’s breasts.

A senior party official lodged a complaint over the footage on January 10.

The complaint was linked to the official’s alleged concerns around the activities of Campese, and claimed his behaviour was not acceptable for a potential representative for NSW Labor.

Former NRL star and Labor candidate for Monaro, Terry Campese, was caught in revealing footage wearing just blue underwear, a police hat and a tie (pictured)

The racy video shows a ‘spanking station’ sign and a woman drinking alcohol off Campese’s body while other women whipped each other with sex toys and bondage items hung from trees 

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NSW Labor stood by Campese, telling Daily Mail Australia earlier this month the party had determined ‘no further action’ was required. 

‘There was a misunderstanding about the original information request, once that was clarified, responses were provided,’ a spokesman said.

‘NSW Labor has reviewed the video and determined there is no further action required.

‘It is a private matter for Terry Campese.’

Campese announced his candidacy for the seat once held by former Nationals leader and Deputy Premier John Barilaro on December 18.

In 2012, he founded the Terry Campese Foundation while sidelined with injuries during his NRL career, a charity that seeks to ‘provide greater opportunities for marginalised young people in the community’.

‘I am driven by working in and for the community and I want to take that commitment to the next level,’ Campese said in a statement regarding his candidacy.

Since his retirement from rugby league in 2016, Campese has been an ambassador for Canteen Cancer and Ronald McDonald House and a patron of the Raising Hope Education Foundation. 

‘It’s time for a fresh start in Monaro and I’m determined to ensure a Minns Labor government delivers better schools and hospitals for our community,’ Campese said.

Campese played 139 games for the Canberra raiders between 2004 to 2014, even representing Australia one occasion in 2008. He also had a 26-match stint in the UK in the 2015-16 season for Hull Kingston Rovers.