The most embarrassing list to come out of this federal election

With a growing list of named and shamed candidates, could this be Australia’s most embarrassing federal election yet?

Senior Labor and Liberal figures have admitted candidate vetting needs to be reviewed after more resignations cast an embarrassing shadow over the federal election campaign.

The Liberals’ candidate for Scullin, Gurpal Singh, was dumped on Thursday night for claiming a man who allegedly raped his wife was the “real victim”. Mr Singh was already under pressure for linking same-sex marriage to paedophilia.

Liberal campaign spokesman Simon Birmingham said both sides of politics would have to look at the issue after the election.

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“I think there is a clear message, and it’s one for both major parties to make sure that vetting processes are more thorough in the future,” he told Nine’s Today this morning.

“I’m sure if the same scrutiny was applied to the rabble of minor parties out there we would find worse messages.”

Senator Simon Birmingham urges a more thorough vetting of candidates. Picture: AAP /David Mariuz

And it isn’t just the two major parties losing candidates.

Clive Palmer sacked United Australia Party candidate Tony Pecora overnight for peddling conspiracy theories about the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Senator Birmingham said Labor had defended its candidate for Melbourne, Luke Creasey, last Friday before he was dumped over social media posts later that day.

Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese said the dumping of candidates created “confusion in the electorate”.

“Quite clearly there is a problem when you have candidates changing or being removed from endorsement during an election campaign,” he said.

The mass exodus of candidates hasn’t gone unnoticed by Labor leader Bill Shorten and Prime Minister Scott Morrison. So much so, it even got a mention at the third leaders’ debate earlier this week.

“If you win you’ll have more people to promote because so many of your current ministry is leaving,” said Mr Shorten in a jab at the Prime Minister.

‘No need to get nasty’: Scott Morrison refused to be baited by Bill Shorten's teasing. Picture: Adam Taylor/AFP

FEDERAL ELECTION’S EX-CANDIDATES

* Gurpal Singh (Liberal, Scullin) — backed an alleged rapist and linked same-sex marriage to paedophilia on social media

* Jay Dessi (Greens, Lalor) — racist joke about a friend

* Jessica Whelan (Liberal, Lyons) — anti-Muslim social media comments

* Peter Killin (Liberal, Wills) — writing about dangers of gay people and insulting fellow Liberal Tim Wilson

* Jeremy Hearn (Liberal, Isaacs) — Facebook slur against Muslims

* Murray Angus (Liberal, Corio) — friendly comments about Labor candidate

* Kate Oski (Liberal, Lalor) — citizenship doubts

* Vaishali Ghosh (Liberal, Wills) — citizenship doubts

* Helen Jackson (Liberal, Cooper) — public servant

* Courtney Nguyen (Liberal, Fowler) — citizenship doubts

* Sam Kayal (Liberal, Werriwa) — citizenship doubts

* Tony Pecora (United Australia Party, Melbourne) — conspiracy theory about September 11 terrorist attacks

* James Harker-Mortlock (Nationals, Whitlam) — citizenship doubts

* Steve Dickson (One Nation, Queensland Senate) — strip club scandal

* Wayne Kurnoth (Labor, NT Senate) — offensive social media posts

* Melissa Parke — (Labor, Curtin) — comments on Palestine

* Mary Ross (Labor, NSW Senate) — citizenship doubts

* Luke Creasey (Labor, Melbourne) — vulgar social media comments about women, posted seven years ago

QUESTION MARK

* Rod Culleton (Great Australian Party, WA Senate) — referred to Federal Police over an alleged false statement denying his bankruptcy

* Ross Macdonald (One Nation, Leichhardt) — racist and sexist social media posts

* Mina Zaki (Liberal, Canberra) — citizenship doubts