In her third run at Dickson, a seat that has been held by Dutton for 24 years, France became the first person in Australian history to oust an opposition leader from their own seat.

Dutton said after calling the prime minister he then called France to congratulate her.

“Ali and I have been combatants for a number of elections now, but she was successful in Dickson tonight and she will do a good job as as the local member,” he said.

“She lost her son Henry, which is a tragic circumstance that no parent should ever go through. And equally I said to Ali that her son Henry would be incredibly proud of her tonight and she’ll do a good job as the local member for Dickson, and I wish her all the very best, please.”

The 49-year-old lost her son Henry to leukaemia last year.

She has one other son Zac, who was involved in an serious accident alongside France which resulted her leg being amputated in 2011. 

France is the daughter of Queensland MP Peter Lawlor and has been chipping away at Dickson – one of the state’s most marginal electorates – contesting the seat in 2019 and 2022 and reducing Dutton’s margin.

Finance Minister Katie Gallagher was one of the first people to congratulate France and pointed to her resilience.

“She’s had a lot of loss in her life. She lost her leg in a terrible accident outside a car park when a car ran into her when she was protecting her children. She’s lost a son in the last 18 months. You know, just terrible when you think what she has gone through and the fact that she continues to front up and argue for her community,” she said last night.

Gallagher said last night’s results would “completely change the state of play in Canberra”.

France said her win all came down to the good people of Dickson.

“It feels pretty good. It feels great…they’ve been amazing, such a great campaign,” she said.