Labor fields local Fowler candidate after Keneally debacle

Labor candidate Tu Le, once neglected in favour of Kristina Keneally, will contest the critical NSW battleground seat of Fowler, facing down independent Dai Le.

Tu Le, left, the new federal Labor candidate for the NSW seat of Fowler, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Picture: John Appleyard/NewsWire

A once overlooked Labor candidate is campaigning to retake Fowler from independent MP Dai Le, three years after the electorate dumped former NSW premier Kristina Keneally.

On Friday morning, appearing alongside Anthony Albanese at Freedom Square in Cabramatta, community lawyer Tu Le was announced as the Labor candidate for Fowler.

Ms Le was up for preselection in the previously safe seat ahead of the 2022 election, but was jilted in favour of Ms Keneally, the ­candidate favoured by the Labor Right.

The former opposition frontbencher had resigned from her place in the Senate in order to contest Dai Le, and was parachuted into the electorate in favour of Ms Le, despite living far outside it on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

Former premier and Labor senator Kristina Keneally was rejected by Fowler voters. Picture: Liam Kidston

Ms Keneally was met with a resounding rebuke from the electorate at the time, who ousted her in favour of Dai Le – a former journalist and former Liberal candidate prior to entering parliament.

Labor suffered a 15.6 per cent swing in the seat, making it one of only two lost that election.

On Friday, both the Prime Minister and Ms Le took special care to emphasise the newly announced candidate had lived within Fowler for the majority of her life.

“She grew up here in Mount Pritchard,” Mr Albanese said.

“I grew up in southwest Sydney. I’m a proud westie,” Ms Le later corroborated.

Ms Le, the daughter of Vietnamese refugees, will be contesting the seat with the highest density of Vietnamese-Australians in the country.

“Tu Le will be an amazing representative. She’s a great candidate, but she will be even better as a local member who will have a voice in government and be able to get things done,” Mr Albanese said.

Ms Le said her public education led her to a career in advocacy, and drove her to run for parliament.

“My parents came to Australia after the Vietnam War. I was fortunate to have been raised in Australia, and benefit from the best possible public education. This has led me to the work that I do today,” she said.

“Growing up in southwest Sydney and being the daughter of refugees, I understand deeply the power of equal opportunity and what it takes to overcome disadvantage. I think my personal lived experiences have led me to dedicate my life to advocating for the needs of the community.

“I work as a community lawyer, supporting the most marginalised people in the community.

“I am very excited to be a strong voice in the Albanese Labor government and deliver better resources and services.”

Dai Le, a refugee herself, is a high-profile community figure in Fowler, representing it both on the federal level and as a local councillor, having been re-elected in Fairfield’s Cabravale Ward.

She is angling to broaden her influence through parliament alongside local mayor Frank Carbone, who signalled his intention to run for Senate earlier this year as a NSW candidate.