Tasmanian Liberal powerbroker Jonathon Duniam has defended preselecting an embattled state election candidate accused of faking a dating profile.
Braddon candidate Adam Brooks is under investigation over claims he posed as an engineer named Terry living in Melbourne to trick a woman in 2019.
Senator Duniam, who is a junior Morrison government minister, refused to condemn Mr Brooks despite federal Liberals being pressured over the treatment of women.
"Mr Brooks has categorically denied the claims and I think it's important that an investigation occurs," he told the ABC during Saturday's election night broadcast.
He said the public would ultimately discern between right and wrong but noted some voters had already cast ballots before the allegations were made public.
"Let's see what Tasmanians in Braddon are have to say about it," Senator Duniam said.
"But the party was only aware, like you, in recent days and we have to let processes take their course."
It is alleged fake documentation was used to set up the dating account, which Mr Brooks used to contact the woman over months before meeting her in Sydney.
After the revelations, Premier Peter Gutwein said he had more important things to worry about than Mr Brooks' love life.
Mr Brooks, who is a former mining minister, is also facing gun ammunition storage charges which came to light during the campaign.
Labor were also dogged by issues with candidates in the early stages of the campaign with state party president Ben McGregor forced to resign over inappropriate text messages to a woman.
