Former United Australia Party candidate Timothy Banfield says the so-called "party of freedom" operates more like a communist party in the way it controls its candidates.
Mr Banfield said he was effectively suspended from representing the Illawarra seat of Whitlam because he recorded an interview with the author of this story, which wasn't even broadcast because he was subsequently told he did not have permission to speak to the media.
In the original interview, recorded on February 22, Mr Banfield spoke about becoming a candidate and canvassed a range of topics, from vaccinations to the party's large advertising budget and its stance on nuclear power.
"I was given the green light to speak to any press in a phone conversation but then less than 24 hours later I was severely reprimanded and placed on suspension," he said.
He said that after writing a three-page letter to UAP head office explaining his version of events, and after not receiving any response to his letter despite repeated attempts to speak to someone in the party hierarchy, he felt he had no choice but to resign.
Mr Banfield said he thinks "party politics" played a role in the decision to push him out, but didn't provide more detail.
"I am disgusted at the fact that the United Australia Party represents itself as the party of freedom yet in essence it isn't a party of freedom, it's a party of control and authoritarianism."
Restrictions on all candidates
Mr Banfield says every candidate in the party has had their hands tied.
"You speak to every [UAP] candidate and they will say, 'Oh yeah, my campaign is going fantastic', but the truth of the matter is all they have been doing is speaking to UAP members. They are not speaking to anybody outside in the community.
"And the reason is because head office has told them they can't and I just think that is absolutely disgusting.
"If you can't do that then what's the use of being in there."
Mr Banfield, who is a founder of the Destiny Alive Church, said the party was run like a "communist party" with all control centralised.
"In the words of one of the leaders, the party individuals don't matter, only the policies of the party do.
New candidate named
The UAP website now lists Allan Wode as the candidate for Whitlam, and describes him as having a passion for cars and working on road projects.
"As part of an asphalt crew, he and his team completed the road surfacing on the Berry and Albion Park Rail bypass," it said.
The ABC has contacted the UAP head office and Allan Wode for comment but neither has replied.
