Hamish Walker selected as National's Candidate for the Clutha-Southland electorate

National's new candidate for the Clutha-Southland seat says he has "some pretty big shoes to fill".

Hamish Walker, a 32-year-old former National candidate for South Dunedin, was chosen to fill the space left vacant by Todd Barclay, the sitting MP.

Barclay was ousted after it emerged in June that he had secretly recorded National staffer Glenys Dickson in the Gore electorate office. Dickson resigned last year.

JOHN HAWKINS/STUFF Hamish Walker at the National Party meeting in Winton.

Walker was one of three vying for the position. The others were former Queenstown Lakes District Mayor Vanessa van Uden and Southland District councillor Nick Perham.

READ MORE:

* Government gives secret payment to MP Todd Barclay's former employee over clandestine recording

* Former National staffer Glenys Dickson says MP Todd Barclay should have resigned immediately

* PM confirms Todd Barclay told him about secret recording

* Investigation under way into Todd Barclay's Clutha Southland selection

* Searching for Todd Barclay's people deep in the murky heart of Clutha-Southland

* Contenders emerge to replace embattled Clutha-Southland MP Todd Barclay

* Allan Baird withdraws National party nomination because of looming court case​

In his acceptance speech, Walker paid tribute to Barclay.

ROBERT KITCHIN/STUFF Clutha-Southland MP Todd Barclay announced he would not stand in the seat for National at the upcoming general election after the taping scandal.

"Todd has worked tirelessly for this electorate over the last three years," he said. "He's given it his absolute all... Todd, you've done a great job and left me some pretty big shoes to fill."

Around 150 people were at the meeting in Winton.

Walker said he had travelled around 10,000km visiting delegates in the sprawling electorate, and now had his eyes set on the September 23 election.

Prime Minister and former Clutha-Southland MP Bill English became embroiled in the Barclay scandal.

Although it was a safe National seat, he confessed to feeling the pressure.

"If you're not nervous in this sort of race, you've got something wrong with you," he said.

Barclay congratulated his "good mate" in a Facebook post.

"I campaigned with Hamish in 2014 when he stood for Dunedin South and know first-hand how hard working, focused, passionate and caring he is," he wrote.

"Mate, you have my full, unwavering support."

Prime Minister Bill English said on Friday that Walker had done a good job boosting the party vote in Dunedin when he ran there.

"He'll be hardworking and do a great job," English said.

It was a truncated selection process, given the late withdrawal of Barclay, who had initially been re-selected to contest the electorate.

Barclay had initially denied any wrongdoing in matters related to his former staffer, and told media there had been complaints about Dickson.

After Newsroom revealed that was false, and that Prime Minister Bill English knew Barclay had recorded Dickson and that Dickson had received a settlement, the young MP announced he would not stand in the electorate in September's general election.

A number of contenders, including Gore district councillor Nicky Davis and Southland Federated Farmers president Allan Baird, voiced their interest in contesting the race.

National party rules stipulate that the selection committee can approve up to five nominees for election. Only Walker, van Uden and Perham were put forward.

* Audio courtesy of RNZ