Former NSW transport minister Andrew Constance has been picked as the new chief executive of a South Coast council, in an appointment a local Labor MP has said “reeks of jobs for Liberal mates”.

Shoalhaven City Council announced on Tuesday it had appointed Constance, a former Bega MP who unsuccessfully ran as the Liberal candidate for Gilmore in the federal election, as its new head.

Mayor Patricia White, a member of the Shoalhaven Independent Group, said Constance’s “commitment to the Shoalhaven and his proven leadership make him an outstanding choice to guide our organisation”.

“His deep understanding of regional issues, infrastructure, and community engagement positions him strongly to lead the council into its next chapter,” White said in a council statement.

But the Federal MP for

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