Labor giant slayer who toppled former Opposition leader Peter Dutton under scrutiny from electoral watchdog as fresh questions are raised about her primary place of residence

LNP Senator James McGrath has written to the Australian Electoral Commission, claiming new evidence raises further questions about Labor MP Ali France’s place of residence.

He says a development application submitted to the Brisbane City Council identifies France’s home in The Gap as her ‘principal place of residence’.

The electoral watchdog is already investigating her enrolment following her convincing victory over former Liberal leader Peter Dutton in the seat of Dickson during the 2025 federal election.

The issue first revealed by Daily Mail, showed France was enrolled at a property in Arana Hills that was on an empty block. 

Despite this, she was understood to be living in her property at The Gap, eight kilometres away in the electorate of Ryan. 

Under section 101 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, Australians must enrol at their current place of residence and keep their details up to date. 

Voters who move and live at a new address for more than one month must notify the AEC within 21 days, with penalties regardless of intent.

The AEC is now assessing whether France’s enrolment reflects where she actually lives, following claims raised by the Opposition.

The MP, who has only one leg following an amputation, has claimed that she was rebuilding the property to make it more accessible.

Daily Mail does not suggest electoral fraud, but reports that questions about her primary place of residence have been raised.

On Wednesday, Senator McGrath pointed to a Development Application submitted to Brisbane City Council on November 5, 2024, relating to another property France owns in The Gap, in the neighbouring electorate of Ryan.

He said the application describes that property as her intended ‘principal place of residence’.

‘The Development Application makes it unequivocally clear that Ali France considers her property at The Gap, in the electorate of Ryan, to be her principal place of residence,’ Senator McGrath said.

‘This suggests that Ali France may not have been truthful about her enrolment at her property in Arana Hills, which by her own admission has been an empty block of land since February 2026.’

‘This evidence also contradicts Ali France’s claims that she intends to return to her Arana Hills property and make it her principal place of residence.’

‘What is the truth? What she has declared on her Development Application to Brisbane City Council, or what she has told the public? She must come clean; does she live in Dickson or not?’

‘Australians expect everyone to play by the same electoral rules, including Members of Parliament.’

‘I look forward to the AEC completing a thorough investigation and providing certainty on these matters.’

The controversy centres on France’s enrolment at the Arana Hills address, where her home was demolished earlier this year.

‘[My] house was knocked down in February to build a new home that is more suited to my needs as a disabled woman,’ France told Daily Mail.

‘It should be completed by the end of the year and my son and I are very much looking forward to moving back when construction is complete.’

France rejected claims she breached electoral rules.

‘I have lived at the address for five years and will continue to live at the address,’ she said.

Further scrutiny followed a social media post from France in January. 

In the video, she appears at what Daily Mail understands is her property in The Gap, but tags the location as Arana Hills, about eight kilometres away within her electorate.

The AEC has not publicly outlined a timeline for its ongoing investigation.

A spokesperson for France told Daily Mail that she had ‘made all appropriate declarations, at all times.’