Labor’s Katelin McInerney appears on course to win the Kiama by-election even though Premier Chris Minns is still claiming underdog status.

There are 13 candidates on the ballot paper but of the four main contenders, McInerney looks set to regain the seat for Labor for the first time since 2011 ahead of Liberal rival Serena Copley, Community Independent Kate Dezarnaulds and The Greens’ Dr Tonia Gray.

According to a well-placed source, polling indicates that McInerney is on course for a comfortable win and the TAB has placed her at prohibitive odds of $1.05 to emerge triumphant with Copley at $9, an independent victory at $10 and Dr Gray is listed as a 50/1 long shot.

Shrewd politician that he is, Minns stood by his claim from two weeks ago that Labor was still the underdog.

“With due respect to the incredible hard work that Katelin has put in and the campaign we’ve run and the promises we’ve made, I think we’re the underdog,” he said.

“This is gonna be a tough election for us to win. The odds are against us.”

Minns visited Kiama for the sixth time during the election campaign on Thursday amid accusations of pork barreling levelled at his government after a string of recent promises and announcements.

He stopped by Kiama High School, where McInerney attended as a teenager, to officially unveil upgraded science labs, new lifts and ramps, and school hall.

The Liberal Party has claimed that Labor is taking credit for projects that the Coalition had invested in during their time in government such as the Bomaderry High School upgrade.

A Liberal spokesperson said Labor’s Kiama High School pledge was “routine school infrastructure work dressed up as a big announcement, and it misleads the public into thinking Labor has delivered something transformative for Kiama High when in fact it hasn’t”.

When asked about this, Minns said his Government had invested $3 million over the past two years at the school while the Coalition had contributed a fraction of that amount.

Minns also rebuked claims from Kiama Council that Labor had snubbed them during the election campaign.

“You can’t gild the lily. If you do speak to me, you do speak to the Treasurer, I think it’s a bit disingenuous to turn around and say we don’t know who they are.”

Tension is rising between the two major parties with Liberal candidate Serena Copley fuming after her attempt to challenge McInerney in a head-to-head debate, moderated by The Bugle, did not come to fruition.

The Libs asked The Bugle to host a debate but the Labor camp said they would only engage if a full forum could be organised with all candidates involved.

Deputy Liberal Leader Natalie Ward and Kiama by-election candidate Serena Copley on the hustings in Kiama on Thursday. Photo: The Bugle

There was insufficient time midway through the election campaign for The Bugle to organise a full forum and the Labor camp pointed to the fact that several had already been arranged at various venues, including Kangaroo Valley, Minnamurra, Kiama, Albion Park and Shoalhaven Heads.

“As we are not the only candidates asking for the communities’ vote I believe an invitation should be extended to all candidates of all political persuasions,” McInerney said in her response to the Liberals’ request.

Copley responded by saying “Labor have made plenty of claims and promises this election, so I offered the Labor candidate an opportunity of a head-to-head debate to put their plans up against the Liberals’ record of delivering for Kiama.

“While Labor continues to roll the Premier and Ministers into town to speak for their candidate, she remains silent on the important issues confronting our region as a direct result of Labor’s neglect.

“I am disappointed that the Labor candidate has not accepted this opportunity to set out her plan for Kiama in a direct debate against me.”

Early voting opens on Saturday (6 September) and then again from Monday to Friday at

Kiama Uniting Church, Centenary Hall in Albion Park and St Stephen's Anglican Church in Bomaderry.