Mr Dutton holds the north Brisbane seat on a margin of 1.6 per cent, far less than the average swing against governments in byelections. He already faces a mammoth campaign by activist group GetUp! which is targeting the seat and has raised about $225,000, a figure largely unchanged since June. Labor wants to refer the Home Affairs Minister to the High Court to determine if he is in breach of section 44(v) of the constitution, which prevents MPs from holding a direct or indirect pecuinary interest in the Commonwealth. Mr Dutton is a beneficiary of a family trust which runs childcare centres that have received government payments. > Credit:Matt Golding Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull commissioned legal advice over Mr Dutton's eligiblity to put the brakes on the Queenslander's leadership challenge last month. This week, Fairfax Media revealed Mr Turnbull - who is in New York on holiday - has been lobbying MPs to refer Mr Dutton to the High Court to resolve the "uncertainty" around his eligibility. A motion to do so failed by one vote the day before Mr Dutton's unsuccessful challenge. But Labor is preparing to bring on another vote after several Liberal MPs indicated they were considering their options regarding a referral motion - including former foreign minister Julie Bishop.

One irate Queensland MP said: "That would be the end of her reputation in the Liberal Party if she did that." Whenever Dickson goes to the polls, Fairfax Media understands Mr Dutton has amassed a sizeable warchest - likely more than $600,000 but well under $1 million. By contrast, GetUp! claims to have raised at least $225,000 but also has an army of 137 doorknockers, including 40 who will hit the streets on Saturday. Ellen Roberts, GetUp's Queensland campaign director, said the election had "seemed like a distant prospect" but the group was ready for a byelection if that transpired. "I think certainly Dutton's pitch for PM is something that has resonated in the electorate," she said. "People aren't necessarily all that happy about it." Election analyst Kevin Bonham said the seat was already tight and recent events could have unpredictable impacts on Mr Dutton's support.

"GetUp will throw the kitchen sink at him but they did it last time as well so that factor might be overrated," Dr Bonham said. Fairfax Media polling conducted in the seat late August, following the leadership crisis, found Mr Dutton holding the seat with 54 per cent two-party preferred. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Some in Labor are playing down their chances in the seat, pointing to the fact they did not win there in 2007 despite an overwhelming victory nationally. Mr Dutton also enjoyed a slight boost to his

margin thanks to a recent boundary redistribution. Beefing up his effort to hold the seat, Mr Dutton has enlisted former senior Liberal official Geoffrey Greene as a campaign strategist.