The woman pipped for the seat of Dickson at the last Federal election says sitting member Peter Dutton is letting down the community by deciding to not contest the seat again.

Fiona McNamara who represented Labor in the 2007 ballot, said she is more determined to represent Dickson given Mr Dutton’s decision to jump ship to an electorate on the Gold Coast.

Mr Dutton, who has overseen Dickson since 2001, recently announced he would not run for the seat at the next election, saying the redistribution of electorate boundaries by the Australian Electoral Commission would favour the ALP.

Under the redistribution Dickson would shed some of its rural areas, including parts of the Dayboro region, and take in some Labor areas.

Mr Dutton, touted as a potential future party leader, will look to contest the safe Liberal seat of McPherson to safeguard his political future.

“We have looked at the numbers every which way, and it is my view the electoral commission has made Dickson about a notionally two per cent seat to Labor,” Mr Dutton said.

“My first instinct is to dig in and fight, but in politics the numbers don’t lie, and I have to be realistic in the circumstances.”

Ms McNamara said Mr Dutton’s decision “indicates a lack of commitment to serving the people”.

“I think the residents and the voters in Dickson would be very disappointed with him, as I am, because they elected him to do a job and he’s now saying he doesn’t want to do it,” she said.

“I certainly was surprised as I thought he did want to represent the people of Dickson and that he would have remained committed to them. I think the needs of the community should be put first before your own personal ambitions.”

Ms McNamara denied suggestions Dickson would be an unwinnable seat for the Liberals following the AEC redistribution.

“He (Mr Dutton) was nine per cent ahead last time but he’s not prepared to run if he’s perhaps one per cent behind, which I think shows he’s not prepared to put up the fight,” she said.

“It’s a very marginal seat and anyone who wants to work hard to get people to support them would have a chance to win it.”

Ms McNamara said she had intended to seek pre-selection for Dickson “even if the boundaries hadn’t changed”.

While she lost to Mr Dutton by a miserly 217 votes last election, Ms McNamara said the result, which featured an 8.7 per cent swing towards Labor, was “extremely encouraging”.

“To come from so far behind to be that close I found actually motivating,” she said. “If I’d been 5000 (votes) behind I’d think I’ve got no chance, but 217 actually does make it look like you could get closer again next time.”

Mr Dutton said he had enjoyed representing the people of Dickson.

“I want to thank all the people of Dickson for allowing me to serve as your representative,” he said.

“It has indeed been a great honour and privilege, and I have made a lot of friends and together we have achieved a lot for the electorate.”