Liberal candidates for October's ACT election will sign over control of their social media accounts to the party's campaign bosses and follow instructions to remove any controversial posts.
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As part of conditions for Liberal preselection, potential candidates will be required to agree to have all their social media activity monitored by the party's campaign manager or a nominated official and to "follow the campaign manager's instructions regarding removal of material" and will need approval for any campaign-related posts on any platform.
The Liberal candidate nomination form, obtained by The Canberra Times this week, requires that candidates share "the values and beliefs" of the Liberal Party and state that they are seeking preselection out of a "genuine desire to promote and implement" conservative policies.
Candidates will be required not to make any commitments, including policy statements or spending promises from a future Liberal government, without prior approval from party bosses.
They must agree to a candidate contract and to not contradict or ignore instructions from the campaign manager and party officials.
Candidates will be required to commit to a maximum campaign spend of $19,360 by September 1, as party of efforts to comply with the Electoral Commission's spending rules. Candidates must state that they understand that any percentage not spent under the quota will be allocated to other candidates.
Earlier this month it was reported potential Liberal candidates will have to stump up $3300 to nominate for the party's preselection process, up from $600 in previous election cycles.
Opposition Leader Jeremy Hanson defended the high cost of the nomination fee, arguing the party needed the money. He said Labor had better sources of funds, including union donations and revenue from the party's poker machine holdings. Mr Hanson said the Greens also received donations from unions.
The high cost of nomination will see candidates receive campaign flyers and corflutes and other support from the party.
Candidates must "commit to at lease one electorate-wide distribution of a flyer by Australia Post" which must be ordered through the Canberra Liberals, with the cost required to be accounted for in the $19,360 cap.
"The date and detail of the flyer is to be negotiated and agreed between the candidate and the campaign manager but is to be distributed prior to September 7," the documents show.
The form shows $1000 of the $3300 fee is refundable if potential candidates are unsuccessful in the preselection process. Labor and the Greens have already completed their preselection processes.
Nominations will close at midday on April 5, ahead of electorate preselection meetings in April and early May.
To be eligible to vote, rank and file members must have been signed up for three months before April 5 and have attended at least one branch meeting in the six months since October 2015.
Members who haven't met the criteria can attend meetings up to March 31 to be eligible. The nomination form states that in exceptional circumstances the party's management committee may waive the requirements.
Nominees seeking endorsement will get a 45-minute panel interview with the Liberal nomination review subcommittee before the process is completed.
Potential candidates will be required to disclose any criminal history including drink-driving charges or convictions and must state any personal objections to Liberal policy or conflict with existing elected members at state, territory and federal levels. Mental health problems, legal or business issues must also be disclosed.
As part of territory electoral rules, candidates agree to not make any unauthorised spending in the campaign and not to print, produce or distribute any electoral materials not provided by the party.