Source : the age
Queensland federal Labor MP Ali France is facing fresh questions about where she lives after a town planning application was revealed indicating her property outside her electorate would be her primary residence.
France, who shot to national fame after she unseated Peter Dutton in Brisbane’s outer northern suburbs electorate in the 2025 election, was referred to the Australian Electoral Commission in May after it was revealed she was enrolled to vote at a vacant block of land.
In response to questions at the time, she said the Arana Hills property within her federal seat of Dickson had been demolished to rebuild a home that better suited her accessibility needs and she was temporarily living at her investment property in The Gap – in the neighbouring electorate of Ryan.
This masthead was told France intended to move back into the Arana Hills home when it was completed and a spokeswoman said in response to questions on Tuesday the MP “has made all appropriate declarations, at all times”.
However, James McGrath, the LNP senator who referred the matter to the AEC in May, wrote to the electoral watchdog again this week to demand the commissioner investigate a development application to Brisbane City Council for the property in The Gap.
This document, dated from November 2024, before the May 2025 election, includes a letter from a town planner writing on France’s behalf arguing the development be approved on the grounds the property would be her home.
“Existing vegetation around the perimeter and along the boundaries of the site will be retained and since it will be the landowner’s principal place of residence, it is not unreasonable to expect that supplementary landscaping will be provided to personalise their home and make a positive contribution to the streetscape,” according to the application.
“Furthermore, as it is to be the landowner’s principal place of residence, anecdotal evidence suggests greater prospects are likely to be achieved for long term maintenance of landscaping.”
McGrath, in a letter sent to the commissioner seen by this masthead, claimed the development application made it “unequivocally clear” France’s primary residence was intended to be at The Gap.
“This evidence also contradicts Ms France’s public claims that she intends to return to her Arana Hills property in Dickson, for the purpose of making it her principal place of residence for enrolment purposes,” he wrote.
“I would urge you to investigate this evidence with the utmost urgency and consider whether Ms France has been truthful as part of your investigation into her alleged electoral fraud.”
The AEC told this masthead on Tuesday afternoon there was no update into the probe and the investigation was ongoing.
Political tensions and accusations over alleged electoral fraud have been rife in Queensland, further sparked by LNP state minister Tim Mander standing down from cabinet in May after electoral authorities referred him to the federal police over allegations he falsely enrolled to vote at a staffer’s home while living elsewhere.
During the 2019 election campaign, then-home affairs minister Peter Dutton attacked France for “using her disability as an excuse” for not living in the electorate. At the time, France was living in a neighbouring electorate after investing $100,000 to make her home accessible.
At the time, France said she had difficulty finding a home inside the electorate that could accommodate her use of a wheelchair.
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James Hall is the News Director at the Brisbane Times. He is the former Queensland correspondent at The Australian Financial Review and has reported for a range of mastheads across the country, specialising on political and finance reporting.Connect via X or email.
