Saturday, May 3 will be remembered for years as a historic day in Australia. On this day, the Labor Party candidate Ali France became the first disabled woman to be elected to Australian federal parliament.
In fact, she made history twice by also becoming the first candidate to unseat a sitting Opposition Leader in an Australian federal election, defeating Peter Dutton in the Queensland seat of Dickson.
Image source: Facebook.
So, who is Ali France?
Ali France is a former journalist and para-athlete who has campaigned for the Labor party in Dickson since the 2019 federal election. She's also the daughter of Peter Lawlor, a former Queensland state minister.
Ali's journey into politics was motivated by her personal experiences with the healthcare system following an incident in 2011, where she was injured by a car in a shopping centre car park which resulted in her leg being amputated above the knee.
Her campaign focused on making healthcare more affordable, easing cost of living pain, paid parental leave, investing in education, and strengthening the NDIS and disability support.
Tragically, Ali lost her eldest son, Henry, to leukaemia last year. When thanking her campaign team and volunteers, she also paid tribute to Henry.
“I wish he was here," she shared. “He never doubted this win was coming, and was so insistent that I didn't give up, even to care for him.”
“He was looking forward to being a part of this campaign, a part of this celebration, and I can tell you, Henry you were.”
“It wouldn’t be winnable”
In her victory speech on Saturday night, she acknowledged outgoing member for Dickson, Peter Dutton, expressing that running against him was a formidable challenge.
“Back in 2018, I was told that Dickson was not winnable and it wouldn't be winnable until Peter Dutton retired,” Ali remarked.
“They said he was too popular, he was too well known … I was told that I didn't stand a chance. I took all of that in and went yeah, nah.”
In his concession speech, Peter Dutton said, "I told Ali her son Henry would be incredibly proud of her tonight, and she will do a good job as the local member."
What the disability community is saying
Ali France’s historic win has sent waves of excitement and pride throughout the disability community, marking a significant moment of representation and progress.
For many, her election is more than just political, it’s a deeply personal milestone that challenges long-standing barriers and sends a clear message: disabled people belong in positions of power.
Laura O’Reilly, Hireup’s co-founder and CEO, expressed her excitement about Ali joining parliament.
“I’m thrilled that Ali has joined the parliament. As someone who cares deeply about the representation of women and people with disability in both my personal and professional life, it’s an exciting moment to witness,” Laura shared.
“Ali brings deep expertise, credibility and lived experience, qualities that are essential as we confront the ongoing challenges facing the disability sector. While progress has been made, the work is far from complete. Extensive consultation and collaboration have given us a clear roadmap. What’s needed now is implementation.
We’re eager to continue this historic momentum and collaborate with the government to work for better outcomes for people with disability, and all Australians."
While on social media disability advocate Elly Desmarchelier, who was also volunteering in Ali’s campaign, captured the mood perfectly in a video.
“I am just so overwhelmed because we just helped elect the first disabled woman to parliament,” she said.
“I’m going to see a disabled woman in parliament and so are little disabled girls. I could cry… She’s a trailblazer.”
Curious about disability representation in Australian politics? Check out disability advocate Elly Desmarchelier’s pre-election article to learn more.
