Labor preselects Ali France for Peter Dutton’s seat of Dickson

FORMER journalist Ali France will be Labor’s candidate to take on Peter Dutton at the federal election.

Ali France has won Labor preselection for the federal seat of Dickson, currently held by Peter Dutton. File picture

FORMER journalist Ali France will be Labor’s candidate to take on Peter Dutton at the Federal Election.

The Courier-Mail understands Ms France, a disability advocate and motivational speaker who was the dominant Left faction’s choice, convincingly won the branch vote to gain preselection to run against Mr Dutton in the Federal seat of Dickson.

Labor is yet to officially announce her candidacy but rival Linda Lavarch, a former Queensland attorney-general who came close to unseating Mr Dutton at the 2016 Federal Poll, took to Facebook to reveal Ms France was the preselection victor.

Labor has preselected Ali France to take on Peter Dutton at the next federal election.

“Although it is not official yet the Dickson results are in and I congratulate Ali France on winning preselection and gaining the honour of being our Labor candidate for the next federal election,” Ms Lavarch, who was the Right’s candidate, wrote.

“Ali is an inspiration and we can all proudly stand beside her as we join our collective forces to defeat Dutton and work to have a Shorten Labor Government elected.

“I would like to thank all who supported me and I especially thank you for your ongoing encouragement and kindness.”

Ms Lavarch said she would be helping on the campaign trail.

It is understood Ms France won the local vote 135 to 108.

Ms France took to Twitter this afternoon to confirm she had won preselection.

“I am so grateful for the opportunity to stand as the Labor candidate for Dickson,” she wrote.

“I have been humbled by the support of so many.

“Dickson you have been neglected for too long. You deserve so much more.”