Jessica Whelan confirms she will run as an independent in Lyons

A defiant Jessica Whelan says she will fight to represent Lyons as the PM admits he was lied to over anti-Islamic social media comments written in her name.

A DEFIANT Jessica Whelan says she will fight to represent Lyons as an independent in the upcoming federal election after resigning her Liberal Party candidacy over anti-Islamic social media comments written in her name.

Ms Whelan announced on Friday she would not run for the Liberals after attracting national headlines over a series of Islamophobic social media comments - some of which she has repeatedly denied having posted.

WHELAN SPEAKS OF THREATS TO FAMILY

LIBERALS URGED TO BACK NATIONALS

WHITE CERTAIN OF WHELAN COMMENTS

In a statement, Ms Whelan admitted to making “ill-advised and misinformed comments in the past” but said she would pursue legal action regarding posts “falsely attributed to me”.

Her family had received death threats since the posts were published, Ms Whelan said.

“It saddens me that people who put their hand up to represent the people of Australia are subjected to such vicious personal attacks from their opposition, born directly from their fear of losing,” Ms Whelan said.

“I want to thank the many people who have supported me and those who continue to support me and my family and I look forward to continue contributing to the community.”

Jessica Whelan is rushed away from the media during a tour of Agfest on Thursday. Picture: GARY RAMAGE

She told other media outlets she would run as an independent under the Liberal Party on the ballot paper but was not aiming for a Pauline Hanson-style campaign. The One Nation leader was disendorsed by Liberal prime minister John Howard for racist comments in 1996 but was elected to federal parliament as an independent.

“I don’t want people to refer to me as a Pauline Hanson,” Ms Whelan told Nine newspapers.

“We are very different people. We live in a multiculural society and I love that about Australia.”

Ms Whelan also claimed she had been open about her social media posts with the Liberal Party but did not return the Mercury’s calls on Friday. She rejected having written at least one of the posts bearing her name and the Australian Federal Police on Friday night confirmed it had received a referral related to Ms Whelan’s complaint.

Ms Whelan was announced the Liberals’ pick to win Lyons after the party twice called for expressions of interest for candidates to represent the sprawling rural seat held by Labor’s Brian Mitchell.

Liberal leadership was strong on wanting a female candidate in place and Ms Whelan – a Brighton councillor – was considered by many in the party a good chance of winning.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who stood with Ms Whelan at a media event at Agfest on Thursday, said her alleged views had not been clear at the time of her nomination.

“... the information in front of us yesterday was not the information that we were able to receive overnight,” Mr Morrison said yesterday (FRI).

Asked if he had been lied to, the Prime Minister said: “Yes.”

Jessica Whelan, left, carries an umbrella for Prime Minister Scott Morrison at Agfest. Picture: GARY RAMAGE

Tasmanian Liberal senator Jonathon Duniam on Friday acknowledged his party needed to work on its vetting processes but said he had full confidence in state director Sam McQuestin.

“The Liberal Party obviously ... have a lot of improvements to make in the space of vetting,” Senator Duniam said.

“We’ve got to be honest about these things. The culture, the society we live in is changing very quickly with regards to social media, the 24-hour news cycle, and political parties need to work hard to catch up with exactly what happens in that realm these days.”

Senator Duniam defended the Liberals as having taken swift action once posts bearing Ms Whelan’s name – including one that called for a referendum on Islamic immigration – had been made public.

But Franklin Labor MHR Julie Collins accused the Coalition of being slow to respond.

“It was very clear that these posts were racist, it was very clear that these posts are from the candidate, and I’m pleased she’s finally quit today but she should have been sacked yesterday,” she said.

The Brighton Council will also investigate whether Ms Whelan’s comments on social media amounted to a breach of its code of conduct.

Mayor Tony Foster on Friday emphasised her alleged statements did not represent the views of his council.

“Personally, it really hurts me that someone who is a Brighton councillor has those thoughts in her mind and actually speaks them,” Cr Foster.

The Liberals will direct people to vote for Nationals candidate Deanna Hutchinson in Lyons.

Clark independent MHR Andrew Wilkie vowed he would not sit with Ms Whelan on the crossbench if she were elected on May 18.