Peter Dutton lashed Anthony Albanese for backing Ali France over Nazi post

Peter Dutton lashed Anthony Albanese for backing Labor’s candidate in his own seat, saying she’s an “extraordinary Australian” after she shared posts depicting him as a Nazi.

Peter Dutton has accused Anthony Albanese of “trashing his own credibility” after he backed embattled Qld Labor candidate Ali France, saying she’s an “extraordinary Australian”.

The Prime Minister was grilled about whether it was appropriate for Ms France to share social media posts depicting Peter Dutton as a Nazi, and supported claims Israel was an “openly racist apartheid regime”.

But Mr Albanese dismissed the issue saying “people go after people’s history”, like they did to her disability when she ran during the last campaign.

“Ali France is someone who lost her leg saving her child’s life when she pushed a pram forward and was hit by a motor vehicle,” he said.

“Ali France is an extraordinary Australian.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Ali Francis is an “extraordinary Australian”. Picture: Getty Images

“What I know about Ali France as a person today is that she is an outstanding human being, someone who has overcome extraordinary adversity during this time while a candidate, the loss of her son and has overcome tragedy.”

Mr Dutton, who appeared as a guest on The Briefing podcast with Natarsha Belling said:

“So I guess this is the standard that the prime minister is willing to accept and it says a lot about the prime minister.”

He also said that “the Labor candidate in Dickson is not fit to hold public office”.

In a thinly-veiled swipe at Mr Dutton for going to a fundraiser in Sydney as Cyclone Alfred approached, Mr Albanese said Ms France had been there filling up sandbags and would “not leave in a time of crisis”.

“I wish her well,” he said.

Ali France is taking on Peter Dutton for the seat of Dickson. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

Labor’s star candidate attempting to unseat Peter Dutton in his outer urban Brisbane seat of Dickson once shared social media posts depicting the Opposition Leader as a Nazi and backed claims Israel was an “openly racist apartheid regime”.

In 2017 she shared a post on the social media platform X previously known as depicting Mr Dutton and then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull wearing Nazi uniforms.

Ms France, in a statement, conceded she should have “chosen my words more carefully in the past”.

“I want to see peace and believe in a two-state solution, with Israelis and Palestinians living side-by-side in peace and security,” she said.

Ms France, in the newly unearthed social media posts, also described Mr Dutton as “a monster” and suggested those who worked for him would need to “park your morals at the door.”

Asked about Ms France’s social media posts in which she called the Opposition leader a monster, Mr Dutton said: “I have not seen the comments”.

Mr Dutton’s margin stands at 1.7 per cent, after being whittled down at the 2022 election from 2.3 per cent.

It is also the first time he has headed to an election as Opposition Leader, which complicates his ability to be present in the seat to curtail a swing against him.

Originally published as Peter Dutton lashed Anthony Albanese for backing Ali France over Nazi post