Anyone applying for a job knows that social media can come back to haunt you, but it seems some federal election candidates missed that memo. Their political opponents and media have been busy trawling through candidates' social media activity, dredging up anti-Muslim, homophobic and sleazy posts.
Along with citizenship concerns and other bad behaviour brought to light during the campaign, several candidates have had their campaigns cut short in the past week.
So, who has bowed out and who is left standing as Australia heads towards an election?
Gone
Gurpal Singh, Liberal candidate
The candidate for the Melbourne seat of Scullin was asked to resign by the Liberal party after it emerged he said the perpetrator was the "real victim" in response to a woman's account of being raped and abused. The comments wade made in response to a posted in May last year. The prime minster had earlier defended Mr Singh's candidacy after the revelations, but the Victorian Liberal party later on 9 May.
Tony Pecora, United Australia Party candidate
The candidate for the seat of Melbourne was could have been the work of "globalist forces". The United Australia Party website had described Mr Pecora as the founder of companies responsible for installing solar power systems in Ausralia and the South Pacific. "He believe [sic] that freedom, liberty and strength are the defining principles on which all great civilizations are built," the website said.
Jay Dessi, Greens candidate
The candidate for the Melbourne seat of Lalor resigned over offensive Facebook posts in which he made a racist joke about an Asian friend and joked about having sex with a ghost. In a statement, he apologised “for offence that my posts may have caused”.
Jessica Whelan, Liberal candidate
The Tasmanian candidate on Facebook. In a statement announcing her resignation, Ms Whelan "vehemently maintains that she did not make the vulgar post" reported in the previous day's media, but "accepts that she has made some of the other posts in question". She has confirmed to SBS News that she will now stand as an Independent.
Luke Creasey, Labor candidate
The Labor candidate for Melbourne and posting pornographic material. But about a female friend emerged. He apologised for "letting people down" but warned, "I think this is a really important lesson for young people that your social media footprint will follow you".
Jeremy Hearn, Liberal candidate
An apology was not enough to save Jeremy Hearn, after anti-Muslim online comments surfaced in which he claimed Muslims secretly supported the "killing or enslavement" of non-Muslim Australians and wanted to impose Sharia law on the country..
Liberal candidate Jeremy Hearn has apologised for saying Muslims were "bad people" trying to replace Australia's legal system with Sharia law. Source: Supplied
Steve Killin, Liberal candidate
The Liberal candidate for the Victorian seat of Wills resigned over homophobic comments about Liberal MP Tim Wilson. He also wrote about the "dangers" posed by
Steve Dickson, One Nation candidate
He survived the controversy over flying to the US to seek funding from the powerful gun lobby National Rifle Association. But video of Steve Dickson . He resigned the morning after the footage was broadcast on A Current Affair on Monday night.
Wayne Kurnoth, Labor candidate
The Labor Senate candidate . The 2015 post claimed the world was being run by a society of Jewish shapeshifting lizards. While Opposition Leader Bill Shorten claimed never to have met the man, a photo of the two of them soon proved otherwise.
A photo of a disendorsed Labor Senate candidate with Labor Leader Bill Shorten. Source: Facebook
Peter Killin, Liberal candidate
Ms Ghosh's successor in the Melbourne seat of Wills, Peter Killin, after it emerged he said the "homosexual lifestyle" carried "appalling health risks".
Vaishali Ghosh, Liberal candidate
The candidate for the Melbourne seat of Wills, engineer Vaishali Ghosh, was forced to step aside over her Indian heritage.
Mary Ross, Labor candidate
British-born GP Mary Ross dropped out of the Senate race mere days before the close of nominations in April over dual citizenship concerns. In a statement, Dr Ross said she made the decision to withdraw “after personal reflection and in consultation with my family”.
James Harker-Mortlock, Nationals candidate
Dual citizenship issues have also ended a campaign for British citizen James Harker-Mortlock, who had been campaigning for the seat of Whitlam in NSW. His pre-selection was voided by the Nationals after he was unable to obtain proof of the renunciation of his British citizenship from the UK.
Sam Kayal, Liberal candidate
The candidate for the Sydney seat of Werriwa was forced to withdraw due to Section 44 dual citizenship issues.
Courtney Nguyen, Liberal candidate
The candidate for the Sydney seat of Fowler dropped out of the race due to doubts over dual citizenship.
Kate Oski, Liberal candidate
Kate Oski is one of three candidates who didn't even make it to the start of the campaign, forced to resign because of her potential eligibility for Polish citizenship.
Helen Jackson, Liberal candidate
As an Australian Post employee, Helen Jackson is considered a public servant which could be a breach of section 44 on the constitution. The Liberal Party chose not to take the risk and disendorsed her.
Murray Angus, Liberal candidate
The Liberal hopeful for Corio was dumped by the party for complimenting his Labor opponent as a "good bloke".
Melissa Parke, Labor candidate
The former MP was standing for the West Australian seat of Curtin but stood down after comments about Israel and Palestine emerged.
In trouble
Mina Zaki, Liberal candidate
Paperwork submitted to the Australian Electoral Commission has raised questions about Liberal candidate for Canberra Mina Zaki's eligibility. Ms Zaki declared she had renounced her Afghan citizenship but she may not have completed the final step required.
Mina Zaki says she has denounced her Afghan citizenship. Source: Facebook
Sharyn Morrow, Labor candidate
The West Australian reports that Sharyn Morrow, who is contesting the seat of Durack for Labor, posted anti-refugee posts on social media in 2013 in response to incidents at the Nauru detention centre.
Tony Hanley, United Australia Party candidate
United Australia Party candidate Tony Hanley, who is running for the new seat of Bean in the ACT, called Saudi Arabians "tea towel heads" and .
Ross MacDonald, One Nation
Just hours after Pauline Hanson had a break down on national television over the latest scandal to hit her party thanks to Steve Dickson's strip club antics, a series of photos of the minor party's
Ross Macdonald posing with a topless woman in Thailand. Source: Supplied
Andrew Hastie & Ian Goodenough, Liberal MPs
Andrew Hastie denied meeting white supremacist Neil Erikson, but his colleague Ian Goodenough confirmed to The Guardian that the pair did briefly meet at a rally to support white South African farmers.
Kate Ashmor, Liberal candidate
Running in a Melbourne electorate with a large Jewish community, Ms Ashmor apologised after accusing her Labor rival of not being Jewish enough and, in a separate incident, said sorry for appearing to call Bill Shorten's wife a pig.
Rod Culleton, Great Australian Party
The Australian Electoral Commission has referred the former One Nation senator to federal police over an alleged false statement after he failed to mention his bankruptcy on his nomination form. His bankruptcy previously resulted in him being disqualified from parliament.
