His 11th hour call-up was forced by the sacking of Labor's first pick, Jeff Salvestro-Martin, who is embroiled in the Independent Commission against Corruption's inquiry into Ryde Council.

But the new candidate is also no stranger to controversy. In a lapse of judgment in 1999 he berated the model Jodhi Meares for declining to wear a republican movement T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan: ''Give an Australian the Head Job''.

''It's a shame. She had the chance to be the tits of the nation, but she's missed out now,'' he said at the time, before later apologising.

Mr Yat-sen Li was flying back to Australia from Beijing on Thursday night to begin campaigning in the seat, held by former tennis player Liberal John Alexander.

As a fluent speaker of Mandarin and Cantonese and a successful businessman based in Asia since 2005, Labor strategists believe he will be a big draw with Bennelong's large Asian population - 16.9 per cent of which is ethnic Chinese - under the leadership of fellow Mandarin-speaking Mr Rudd.