Election 2025: teal Alex Dyson’s old posts come back to haunt him

A teal candidate’s official Facebook page contains historical references to the would-be MP regarding masturbation at work and on a plane.

Independent Wannon candidate Alex Dyson in pictures posted to his Facebook account in 2016.

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A would-be teal MP’s historical social media refers to an online drinking game where he is quizzed about masturbation at work and on a plane.

Teal candidate for Wannon Alex Dyson’s Facebook page in 2016 also included a misogynistic expletive posted by a contributor.

Mr Dyson was 28 when he instigated a truth or dare drinking game online with hundreds of others while he was waiting at an airport lounge for his flight.

Mr Dyson uses the same page to promote his political interests and failed to remove the historical references.

He blasted his political opponent, accusing him of dredging up the past for political gain.

The online game was Never Have I Ever, in which he was asked random questions and then drank beer if he had ever performed the act.

In one post he is asked whether he has ever masturbated in the workplace, he responds cryptically that “we DO play Sandstorm”, which is a well-known dance tune and then puts a bottle of beer to his lips.

Another respondent asks whether he had ever sent a text message to a girl’s mother instead of the girl.

Mr Dyson responds: “Mate, don’t remind me …’’

He is also asked whether he has masturbated on a plane, responding: “No, but it’s the red-eye tonight.”

In the same string of posts, a contributor refers to the misogynistic word “c@nts”.

A former ABC JJJ announcer, Mr Dyson attracted 442 comments when he started the game at the airport.

In what was a childish exchange, Mr Dyson was asked a string of questions, some of which would fail the decency test for some older voters.

Mr Dyson is in a heated battle to win the western Victorian seat of Wannon, held by Liberal frontbencher Dan Tehan with a margin of 3.8 per cent.

While wearing orange, the Dyson campaign is seen as being part of the broad teal family, heavily backed by wealthy climate donors.

Mr Dyson accused Mr Tehan of gutter politics.

“Dan Tehan must be really desperate to dive into this gutter. This really is drawing a long bow,’’ he said. “The Facebook joke from 2016 he’s dredged up is a reference to the quality of the song Sandstorm by Darude.

“As for what other people may have said, I have always been an advocate for civility in social media comments sections.

“What I know for sure is that the people of Wannon are looking forward to the end of the Liberal Party dirt unit, and a fresh start with a focus on fixing our roads and dealing with the cost-of-living crisis that has flourished under the major parties.”

Former South Grampians mayor Howard Templeton said: “If this is true, the man has no ­integrity. Yet all the teals do is preach integrity to everyone else. What hypocrites. This is not the man I want to represent me in the electorate of Wannon.”

Wannon traditionally has been a heartland Liberal seat but the growth of regional cities and the drift towards Geelong have altered the demographics.

There also has been a trend of once blue-blood Liberals drifting from the party’s central causes, creating opportunities for independents in former prime minister Malcolm Fraser’s seat.