Labor’s star candidate to take on Peter Dutton revealed

A Star Labor candidate has been personally tapped on the shoulder by Opposition leader Anthony Albanese in a bid attempt to kick Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton out of his southeast Queensland seat.

Star Labor candidate Ali France has been personally tapped on the shoulder by Opposition leader Anthony Albanese for a second attempt to take down Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton in the seat of Dickson.

Mr Albanese will be in Brisbane today to announce he has asked Ms France to run, and she accepted, in what is the start of Labor rolling out candidates in its nine target seats in Queensland.

Ms France, who had a leg amputated after being hit by a car in 2011, is a disability and refugee advocate as well as a world champion outrigger canoeist.

Labor’s candidate for Dickson Ali France with now Opposition leader Anthony Albanese during the 2019 election campaign. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

While there was a swing against Labor in Dickson in 2019, on primary and two party preferred, some in the party are putting that down to the “Bill factor”.

The announcement of a candidate to run against Mr Dutton comes as the Minister is under fire from Labor over when he was informed about the Brittany Higgins rape allegations and why he did not inform the Prime Minister about them sooner.

Mr Albanese said Ms France would make an “outstanding” MP.

“Ali is strong, compassionate, articulate and an incredible advocate for issues that will make a real difference to people’s lives in the northern suburbs of Brisbane,” he said.

There was a 2.9 per cent swing to Mr Dutton in Dickson at the 2019 election on two-party preferred and 1.2 per cent on primaries, while there was a 3.7 per cent swing against Labor on the primary vote.

Ms France said she had wanted to run again and needed no encouragement from Mr Albanese.

“I came aware from the last campaign feeling quite positive about what we’d done on the ground,” she said.

“One thing I did learn, this time around I will be quicker to call out lies and misinformation as they’re told.

“People know who I am now, they know the issues I’m passionate about and they know more about me personally.”

Labor candidate for Dickson Ali France campaigning in the 2019 election. Picture: AAP Image/Glenn Hunt

She said she wanted an anti-corruption body for Federal Parliament, more affordable child care and supported the party’s push for action on insecure work.

In May it will also be 10 years since her life was changed when her leg was amputated.

“The experiences I’ve had over the last 10 years have really informed my view of the world, it’s one of the reasons I wanted to get into politics,” Ms France said.