‘Maroon’ Independent Ellie Smith to take on Peter Dutton in marginal Dickson seat

A campaigner with links to a climate change lobby will take on Opposition Leader Peter Dutton in his north Brisbane seat, the most marginal in Queensland, as the race to the federal election heats up.

Dickson Decides unveil their Independent candidate, Ellie Smith, who will run against Peter Dutton in Dickson. Picture: Liam Kidston

Former anti-coal seam gas campaigner Ellie Smith will take on Opposition Leader Peter Dutton in his north Brisbane seat, the most marginal in Queensland, after launching a well-organised campaign on Monday.

Ms Smith denied being a “Teal’’, the left-leaning group which unseated a swag of key Liberal MPs at the previous federal election, including frontbencher Josh Frydenberg, and also denied her goal was to help bring down Mr Dutton.

But she conceded that “if I win, the LNP will be a very different party with a different leader’’.

Her preferences could be vital in deciding the contest between Mr Dutton and Labor’s Ali France, who is taking on the Opposition Leader for a third time.

Ms Smith, an environmental consultant who previously has worked with coal seam gas opponent Lock The Gate, insisted she would not be directing preferences to any party.

She also would not say how she would vote if elected and if Labor needed to form a minority government.

Dickson Decides unveils its independent candidate Ellie Smith to run against Peter Dutton in Dickson, at a community launch in Bunya. Picture: Liam Kidston

Ms Smith said she decided on December 20 to run after being asked by Dickson Decides, which claimed on its slick website to be a local group campaigning on issues such as better public transport.

About 100 Dickson Decides supporters in maroon shirts, carrying placards, attended the campaign launch in Bunya which included a drone and photographer.

Its website, which listed campaign events as far back as last October, has been soliciting for donations from $25 up to $5000 with an advertising goal of $10,000.

Ms Smith’s campaign was also being backed by Climate 200, which supported Teal candidates including Monique Ryan who unseated Mr Frydenberg.

Ms Smith did not reveal a donation figure by Climate 200 but said “much more’’ of the funding for her campaign launch and the lead-up to it had come from the local community.

Set up in the 2019 federal election, Climate 200’s website said it was not a political party, did not start campaigns, select candidates, speak for candidates, dictate policies or even have members.

“Teal is a construct of the media. There are representatives who are doing a great job for their communities in Sydney and Melbourne, who are wearing those Teal colours with pride,’’ the Camp Mountain mum said.

“I want to do a good job for this community, which is different. Queensland is different, Dickson is different.

“If I am elected, I will vote differently to the Teals because I will be voting for the issues that matter to my community.’’

When asked with whom she would side if elected and a minority government was formed, she said there would be no deals.

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. Picture: Brendan Radke

“It won’t be a matter of making a deal at the start of the term and sitting around and hoping that the government of the day comes good on a promise,’’ she said.

She nominated the cost of living, a strong economy and better public transport as her three top issues.

“I made the decision (to run) on December 20. It was a big effort from the community for the past six months, looking for an independent to run,’’ she said.

“I decided to run because I was asked a number of times by the local community group.’’

She said that living in the electorate for eight years and her skill set as an environmental consultant — working with communities and navigating policies and legislation — would stand her in good stead if elected.

Coincidentally, the Greens’ candidate Vinnie Batten is an environmental scientist.

Ms Smith revealed she was no fan of Mr Dutton, saying voters wanted a “local MP that is representing the local issues’’ before taking a swipe at his focus on nuclear power.

“I think Peter Dutton spends a lot of time on issues that aren’t reflected by our local community,’’ she said.