Coalition dumps Liberal candidate who said women should not serve in ADF combat roles

Ben Britton, who was running as the candidate for Whitlam in NSW, has been removed from the Liberal party's website

• Election 2025 live updates: Australia federal election campaign
• Polls tracker; election guide; full federal election coverage
• Anywhere but Canberra; interactive electorates guide
• Listen to the first episode of our new narrative podcast series: Gina
• Get our afternoon election email, free app or daily news podcast

Ben Britton has been dumped as a Liberal candidate for the New South Wales seat of Whitlam after it was revealed he had expressed a string of controversial views on fringe podcasts before his preselection.

Britton was taken off the Liberal party's website, and the party has confirmed he was no longer being endorsed, with the party quickly replacing him with Nathaniel Smith.

Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter

Exposure to pornography leads to gender dysphoria and transgender desires";

Labor intentionally keeps some electorates poor to have a better chance of winning them;

Australia should look at the Isle of Man" for lessons on introducing a flat tax rate to attract billionaires;

The education system has brainwashed" young Australians with Marxist ideology.