Campaign scandals: Liberal candidate’s gay attack, Labor candidate shared rape joke, porn

Liberal candidate wouldn’t have supported gay MP Tim Wilson, Labor’s man in Melbourne apologises for sharing rape jokes, porn.

Liberal Willis candidate Peter Killin.

A Liberal candidate who has railed against the “homosexual lifestyle” has written online that he would not have supported gay Liberal MP Tim Wilson’s preselection because of his sexuality, as a Labor candidate who shared a rape joke and pornographic material online apologises.

The Victorian Liberals face losing their second candidate in a day after online comments from Wills candidate Peter Killin attacking gay people emerged.

The Herald Sun reports that Mr Killin wrote that he believed Christians should “1. Infiltrate 2. Influence 3. Impel” to “change a party from within”.

Discussing Mr Wilson’s 2016 preselection, Mr Killin said in an online post for the website CultureWatch that he regretted he was not there to vote against the now MP.

“So, if you and I were there to participate in preselection the result = no homosexual MP,” he wrote.

The Herald Sun also reports that he made a submission to the Ruddock Religious Freedom Review in which he endorsed a 2011 blog post by Presbyterian Pastor Campbell Markham, which described the homosexual lifestyle as “distressingly dangerous” and “having appalling health risks”.

“The dangers and health risks have been well documented in many reliable medical sources for years … Markham’s is a biblical perspective backed up by current medical science.

Labor candidate shared rape jokes, porn

Luke Creasey, who is running against Greens MP Adam Bandt in the seat of Melbourne, will not step down but says the lewd Facebook posts — shared when he was in his early twenties — were “stupid” and “immature.”

Opposition leader Bill Shorten with candidate for Melbourne, Luke Creasey. Picture: Aaron Francis

“It’s been brought to my attention that some posts I shared on social media several years ago when I was in my early 20s have been circulated,” he said in a statement today.

“What I said was stupid, immature and in no way reflects the views I hold today. I apologise for these posts which have been removed.

More posts by Luke Creasey.

“My focus remains on making sure we elect a Shorten Labor Government and restore funding to our schools and hospitals.”

Mr Bandt, the three-term Greens MP for Melbourne, told The Australian that Mr Creasey should consider stepping aside.

“It is very concerning,” Mr Bandt said. “I think Mr Creasey needs to consider whether he remains as the Labor candidate.”

Mr Creasey is the latest in a string of major party candidates to get in trouble over their social media history.

He shared a rape meme in 2012 on his Facebook page which read: “Hey I just met you / If you don’t date me / You’ll go to prison / I’ll say you raped me.”

He also shared a link to pornographic material about pegging — a sexual kink — and made disparaging comments about working class people and people who live in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire.

Luke Creasey Facebook post 2.

“Endorsement by those who call the Sutherland Shire home is no something that anyone with decency should aspire to,” he wrote in a post about Scott Morrison.

And in 2012, he shared a meme which said: “Complains refugees waste tax dollars / Uses Centrelink money to buy drugs and alcohol.”

The Labor Party has been contacted for comment.

Earlier today, Liberal Isaacs candidate Jeremy Hearn was forced to stand down after it was revealed he published anti-Muslim tirades online, saying Muslims wanted to kill and enslave Australians.

Liberal candidate for the NSW seat of Paterson Sachin Joshi copped criticism after it was revealed he wrote an opinion piece on LinkedIn that said women weren’t getting pay rises because they’re not interested in “money matters” and “business-related ‘stuff’”.