“Six per cent is around about consistent with the last several elections in Tamworth,” Mr Hillard said.

“That has been the case since Tony Windsor ran as an independent in the early ‘90s.

“When there’s a well-known independent, the race is between the Nationals candidate and the independent, nonetheless, the Labor Party should run a candidate in every seat because we are a major party and we should offer ourselves to the electorate.”

Mr Hillard, who had gone bushwalking yesterday, said Labor had made a conscious decision not to advertise in a seat they considered unwinnable, but he believed he had held his own against the top polling candidates.

“I was just as involved as Kevin Anderson and Peter Draper and people agree that I stuck with them in the forums and in the media interviews,” he said.

“I didn’t allow myself to be swamped by the better-known candidates.”

Mr Hillard was present at the Meet the Candidates events ahead of the election, unlike candidates for the No Land Tax party and the Christian Democrats Party, who made no public appearances in Gunnedah during the campaign.