analysis
Ali France's election isn't just a boon for Labor — it's big for the disability community too
Ali France couldn't be prouder of her two best friends.
They give her support and are an extension of herself.
"My first best friend is my prosthetic leg and my second is my wheelchair," she told ABC NEWS this week.
In a matter of weeks, Ms France and her two best friends will enter the House of Representatives with pride.
"I'm proud of my leg," she said, sitting on a park bench with titanium ankle crossed over human knee.
It's also clear that she's proud to be the new MP for the Queensland seat of Dickson and proud of doing it as a woman with disability.
Ms France's victory in last week's election brought much excitement to the disability community, but the excitement had nothing to do with party politics.
'Underestimated and pitied'
There are 5.5 million Australians living with disability. That's 20 per cent of the population.
For many of them, life can be challenging, not because of their disability but because of the world simply not being built for them.
Transport and housing are often not accessible and people with disability continue to experience discrimination in every aspect of their lives including employment, health and education.
It's hard to understand what that's like unless you've experienced it yourself.
Ali France says she was "underestimated" and "pitied" when she returned to work with a disability. (ABC NEWS: Mary Lloyd)
But anyone can be impacted by disability at any point — something Ms France knows, having lost her leg in a car accident 14 years ago.
Before that, Ms France said she was "completely naïve" to the issues people with disability face every day.
Even with a decades-long career in journalism and public relations under her belt, returning to her job after having a leg amputated was a struggle.
"I [was] underestimated, pitied … it was really difficult," she said.
Taking up canoeing as a para-athlete helped restore her confidence.
"[I needed to] demonstrate that I was still capable,"she said.
Disability community excited
When Ms France starts in Canberra, she'll be part of a small cohort of federal parliamentarians who live with disability.
The Greens' Jordon Steele-John, who lives with cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, entered the Senate in 2017.
There might've been others, but few with a visible presence. It's important we respect everyone's choice to disclose or not.
But it's that visibility advocate Elly Desmarchelier — who doorknocked for Ms France during her election campaign — said would prove powerful.
"It's about being seen,"she said.
"It's in little girls being able to look up at the TV and see a disabled woman in parliament and it being a totally normal thing."
The visibility of Ali France's disability will be a powerful thing to see in parliament, disability advocates say. (ABC NEWS: Mary Lloyd)
Ms France is almost certainly also the first member of a federal government to be a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participant.
Nic Avery, from NDIS advocacy organisation Every Australian Counts, said having Ms France sharing her unique perspective at such a high level would be invaluable.
"We need to have the voices of people with disability in our parliament where decisions are made about us,"she said.
"Lived experience is the difference between hearing that something is difficult and having experienced those barriers yourself."
There's a lot for the new Albanese government to do for Australians with disability.
Among them are restoring trust in, and the sustainability of, the NDIS, as well as negotiating with the states and territories on the rollout of the much-anticipated foundational supports for those outside the scheme.
Ms Avery said changes to the NDIS introduced last year were done without proper consultation.
She believes having another disabled voice in parliament will make a difference.
"We really need the opportunity for the government to work with us," she said.
But Ms Desmarchelier argues it's not Ms France's job to fix the NDIS and suggestions from some in the community that she should be given that portfolio is an unfair expectation of a first term MP.
"That conversation is backwards," she said.
"All policy is disability policy … and when we make the NDIS minister the go-to on disability we are making ourselves smaller in the government."
Not an 'inspiration'
While Ms France said disability issues will always be a focus, being her authentic self in serving the people of Dickson is her number one priority.
"There's lots of people in my community who've already spoken to me about their ideas and thoughts about the NDIS and I want people to always know that that is a passion of mine," she said.
Ms France recently lost her eldest son Henry to cancer.
She said being the local member is a chance to repay her community for their support privately and at the ballot box.
She hasn't shied away from showing emotion or talking about those tough times.
Ali France is passionate about disability issues, but says serving the people of Dickson is her number one priority. (ABC NEWS: Brendan Esposito)
But like most people with disability, the term "inspirational" doesn't sit well with her.
She hopes that by redefining what it means to be strong and bringing a unique perspective, she can make a difference to politics and the next generation of Australians with disability.
"I think 'strong' is having vulnerability but still moving forward. It's about showing people who you genuinely are."
Additional reporting by the Specialist Reporting Team's Mary Lloyd