Ali France has made history as the first person with a disability to be elected in the Australian parliament.
She also makes history as the first person to unseat an Opposition Leader during an election.
Liberal Leader Peter Dutton held the seat of Dickson by a minuscule 1.7%, with France having decreased the margin across her three election campaigns.
“It’s been 7 years of hard work”, France said.
“I’m happy that people have seen that I care about Dickson.
“I feel incredibly grateful and proud of all the people who have campaigned in this seat for such a long time”.
France was successful in her third attempt at winning the seat after previously campaigning during the 2019 and 2022 elections.
“We’ve worked exceptionally hard for seven years in this seat … People know me, they know what I stand for.”, France told SBS.
News.com journalist Samantha Maidan said neither she nor Treasurer Jim Chalmers had expected to win Dickson and that even the Liberal party “had no idea they were in that sort of trouble.”
Prime Minister’s Anthony Albanese’s victory speech noted France’s win around twenty minutes in.
“You’ll excuse me for signalling out [one candidate] who ran for a third time in Dickson, Ali France.”
The government ploughed over $130,000 into France’s campaign, with Peter Dutton losing his seat in under two hours after polls had closed.
Having lost her leg in 2011 following an accident, France has been a fierce advocate for people with disabilities and accessible healthcare alike.
Greens Senator Jordan Steele-John became the first person with a physical disability to be elected to the nation’s parliament in 2017.
Questions will now be raised about whether France should be given the NDIS and disability portfolio pending a post-election cabinet reshuffle.
Two weeks ago, South Australian Senator Karen Grogan dismissed the idea.
“I’m happy to do that post-election in terms of what the rationale behind separating it out or having one core minister is,” Grogan said.
Hinting that a reshuffle may be on the cards, Grogan said Australians might see a “different outcome post Saturday”.
With France entering the parliament, the rationale for placing her in the NDIS and disability portfolio is stark.
Advocate Hannah Diviney, who previously suggested Senator Jordan Steele-John should be Minister for the NDIS and disability, welcomed the election result.
“So, we’re all in agreement that Ali France is a national treasure that must now be protected at all costs right? And also that she should probably be made Minister for the NDIS given her lived experience and connection to community, yeah? Representation matters”, Diviney said.
People with disabilities have been largely invisible during the election campaign, with advocates concerned that the issue has been swept under the rug.
Co-chair of the newly formed NDIS Reform Advisory Committee, El Gibbs, has reflected that election campaigns rarely focus on people with disabilities.
“Often it has been difficult to raise the issues that we care about in an election”, Gibbs said.
France said she was grateful to be elected after losing her son Henry earlier this year.
“His strength has been with me”, France said.
“I think he’s celebrating somewhere.”
Peter Dutton conceded defeat relatively graciously, commending France on her campaign.
“I said to her, her son Henry will be incredibly proud of her tonight.”
Dutton had previously criticised France for living outside the Dickson electorate, a view widely condemned for missing the point on accessible living.
France has a strong background in standing up for social justice issues and is no stranger to political controversy.
Her election signals a shift in the Labor Party’s parliamentary demographic and will bring fresh insights and challenges to the re-elected Albanese government.
Former journalist and disability inclusion advocate Karin Heartwell has viewed the outcome cautiously, suggesting that France’s loyalty to the disability community remains to be seen.
“Let’s wait and see first if she actually cares about the disabled community or if she cares more about Labor”.