Act, who appeared on the first season of Australian Idol in 2003, is making her bid with a new single, "dancefloor banger" Fight For Love.

Act, the alter ego of Shane Jenek, will compete on Australia's national selection TV show Eurovision - Australia Decides in February.

Act said: "A sweet 16 years after Australian Idol, I have the chance to show Australia how I have grown as an artist and performer and I am so excited!

"To compete to represent Oz in Eurovision is second only to being on that stage in Tel Aviv and singing my lungs out for my country.

"Fight For Love is a dancefloor banger all about coming together and fighting for the things we believe in. I think it's so important to think about the basic human rights of others and to use our collective voices, minds and bodies to lift those people up and bring about change."

Act is also known for appearing in US TV series RuPaul's Drag Race, but she rose to fame in the UK after appearing in Celebrity Big Brother.

Australia has been eligible to take part in Eurovision since 2015.

The country was allowed to enter the competition to mark the event's 60th anniversary.

The grand final of the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Tel Aviv, Israel, in May.

Australian Associated Press