Just over two weeks out from the election, a number of Liberal candidates are preferencing Clive Palmer's United Australia Party (UAP) on their how-to-vote cards, despite Prime Minister Scott Morrison's insistence that no deals with the party have been done.
In the highly-contested Sydney seat of Wentworth, independent candidate Allegra Spender criticised incumbent Liberal MP Dave Sharma for preferencing UAP candidate Natalie Dumer at number two in his how-to-vote cards.
"Dave Sharma preferencing Clive Palmer raises serious questions," Ms Spender told SBS News.
"When our community wants strong climate action, why is Dave Sharma supporting Clive Palmer, who wants to build Australia's largest coal mine at a time when we absolutely must phase down coal?"
"This is the sort of behaviour our community is frustrated with."
When questioned about the how-to-vote cards, Mr Sharma did not confirm whether a deal had been made, but criticised Ms Spender for not disclosing her own preferences.
“My opponent seeks to make an issue of preferences but continues to deceive the electorate," he told SBS.
"She will not say who she will support in a hung parliament, all but guaranteeing the chaos of minority government. She even refuses to disclose her preferences so as not to show her hand.
"A vote for anything but a Liberal Government is a vote for the chaos of a Labor minority government propped up by independents."
Liberal MP Dave Sharma's how-to-vote card puts UAP candidate Natalie Dumer in second spot. Credit: nswliberal.org.au
Mr Sharma is urging voters to preference himself first and UAP's Natalie Dumer second, followed by the Liberal Democrats' Daniel Lewkovitz.
His card then preferences Ms Spender, Labor's Tim Murray, The Greens' Dominic WY Kanak and One Nation's Dean Fisher respectively.
Mr Sharma holds Wentworth with a margin of 1.3 per cent.
Dr Dumer's campaign policies have focused on ending lockdowns, decreasing the cost of living and addressing issues within the healthcare system.
She has also said she would research the use of nuclear energy for electricity generation.
In the weeks leading up to elections, candidates often print and distribute how-to-vote cards, urging voters to number their ballot in a particular order, which can have a significant impact on election results.
Wentworth is not the only district where Liberal Party candidates are giving high preference to Mr Palmer's party, with other candidates including Mr Morrison in the southern Sydney seat of Cook and Jason Falinski in the northern Sydney seat of Mackellar also listing UAP candidates as their second preference.
Liberal how-to-vote cards for the Senate race are preferencing the UAP party second in Tasmania and Victoria, and third in Queensland and NSW.
In March, Mr Morrison told The West Australian newspaper he did not want to do a preference deal with Mr Palmer.
“I don’t believe there will be a deal,” Mr Morrison said.
“It is a matter for the party organisation. But no I don’t believe there will be a deal and that is certainly not my expectation and it is certainly not my request.”
On 20 April, when questioned about preference deals again, Mr Morrison reiterated his position.
Liberal Party campaign headquarters referred SBS News to Mr Morrison's comments when asked whether a preference deal had been done with the UAP.
In April, Mr Palmer said neither the Liberals, Labor, Nationals, or the Greens would appear on the party’s Senate preference ticket.
SBS News has contacted the UAP for comment.
