A spokesperson for the Australian Labor Party confirmed to Australian Community Media that Ms Hart will be the party's candidate for Mallee.

The announcement came just days before the electorate's scheduled polling ballot on Friday, April 22.

During the 2019 Federal election, Ms Hart polled third-highest before preferences, winning 15.7 per cent of the vote or 14,722 votes.

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The result put Ms Hart behind winning Nationals candidate Dr Anne Webster (26,142 votes) and Liberal candidate, Melbourne-based lawyer Serge Petrovich (17,665 votes).

However, with preferences Labor polled much higher, winning 33.8 per cent of the vote after Mallee voters swung 3.6 per cent against the Nationals.

Ms Hart has a background of working in community services, including youth, homelessness, and aged care in Melbourne and Darwin before moving back to Maryborough several years ago.

In 2019, Ms Hart said key issues she was concerned with included the consequences of climate change, the challenges around water and protecting the environment for future generations.

She also said at the time that employment and health were also two advocacy issues for herself.

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