Dutton had been trailing France since the first ballot boxes started to be counted but had been hoping that he would secure a bounce once the pre-poll votes began to drop about 8.30pm. Read more ...

Peter Carr, another Dickson local, said Mr Dutton had been a good MP for the area but wasn't surprised he lost the seat. "It was pretty close, obviously. There was a narrow margin," he said.

"I've known Peter Dutton for a lot of years," the Dickson local told the BBC on polling day. "He's always been someone of high character, serious about effective policies and a lot of empathy for ...

France, 49, has been chipping away at Dutton's home base of Dickson for years. In 2019, the former journalist, communications manager and para athlete won 45.4% of the vote in her maiden campaign.

There has been a mixed reaction from locals in the federal electorate of Dickson, where outgoing Liberal leader Peter Dutton lost his seat. He held it for more than two decades and was defending a ...