Cessnock registered nurse Emily Suvaal is poised to claim a place in NSW Parliament after Labor's right faction handed her an unbeatable position on the party's upper house ticket.
Ms Suvaal, the wife of Cessnock mayor Jay Suvaal, is in line to secure third spot on the party's Legislative Council ticket at next month's Labor state conference after factions and party members thrashed out their preferred candidates on Thursday night.
Ms Suvaal secured second spot among candidates for the right faction, known as Centre Unity in NSW.
Labor head office hopes to win at least eight upper house seats at the March 25 election.
The party holds 14 of the 42 Legislative Council seats. Only half of all upper house members are up for re-election next year.
Ms Suvaal, who is backed by several key unions, was a potential candidate to replace the retiring Joel Fitzgibbon as Member for Hunter at this year's federal election but lost out to Mr Fitzgibbon's anointed successor and Anthony Albanese captain's pick Dan Repacholi.
None of Labor's seven lower house MPs in the Hunter have been challenged for preselection.
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