Opposition leader Bill Shorten announced Friday that Law Society president Matt Keogh would be Labor's candidate for the Canning byelection.
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Mr Keogh's nomination was confirmed by the party's powerful national executive after the withdrawal of former staffer for Kim Beazley, Kelly McManus, and Lisa Griffiths, an unsuccessful candidate for the state seat of Darling Range.
Mr Shorten praised Mr Keogh for his youth and energy at a press conference Friday at the candidate's childhood home in Kelmscott.
"Matt and his wife Annabel, I think, understand the challenges for new families and he also understands the challenges as a long-time participant in improving this community in Armadale and Kelmscott," Mr Shorten said.
Mr Keogh said he grew up in Kelmscott Hills and went to school at St Francis Xavier before attending law school.
"My first job was working in the local law firm which my grandfather had started here in Kelmscott," he said.
"I then started working there as a local lawyer working for the local people of Armadale and Kelmscott and all through the Canning electorate actually he had clients that were coming from Byford, from Pinjarra, even down in Waroona and out in Mandurah."
The byelection for the seat of Canning, which encompasses Kelmscott and Armadale as well as Mandurah, will be held on September 19.