The public previously knew Zali Steggall as the Aussie girl who won Australia our first ever medal at the winter Olympics.

Now, she is known as the Manly local who is seriously challenging Tony Abbott in the race for the Warringah electorate.

Understandably, pro-Liberal forces are mobilizing against her and claiming that she supports certain pet policies of the Labor party. Problem is, she doesn’t.

So what does Zali believe, and how do the people of Warringah perceive her? Lachlan Moffet Gray investigates.