A former federal Labor minister has entered the race for Julie Bishop's West Australian seat of Curtin in the upcoming election.
Melissa Parke had represented the federal seat of Fremantle for almost nine years before bowing out of parliament at the 2016 poll.
Now the one time Minister for International Development and former United Nations lawyer plans to represent Labor in the safe Liberal seat of Curtin.
"Curtin electors deserve the opportunity to vote for a progressive person who believes in action on climate change, marriage equality, support for the ABC, science, the arts, animal welfare & good governance," Ms Parke posted on Twitter.
In her final speech to parliament in 2016, she criticised Labor's offshore detention policy, labelling it a "festering wound".
Ms Parke was an advocate for human rights and the environment during her previous time in parliament but was only a minister for under three months under ex-prime minister Kevin Rudd.
Former foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop has held the blue-ribbon seat of Curtin for 21 years and will retire at the election.
The Liberals will be represented by former Notre Dame University vice-chancellor Celia Hammond, who starts with a margin of 20.7 per cent.
The election is due to be held in May.
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