Adelaide senator Nick Xenophon has warned ACT students to remove a joke Facebook page that pretends his party will fight for South Australian jobs in the upcoming Australian National University Student Association election.
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The Nick Xenophon Team 4 ANUSA page, which purports to put South Australian jobs first, has been reprimanded by the Nick Xenophon Team for using the senator's name and likeness.
ANU student publication Woroni first reported that media adviser Frank Pangallo contacted the page's administration to request its removal.
In a post, Mr Pangallo was accused of trying to "tear down the only voice for South Australian students on campus" by someone insisting he or she was Nick Xenophon.
Mr Pangallo told Fairfax Media on Sunday the page had been reported to Facebook.
"No permission was sought or granted to use his name and images," he said.
"We're not sure what this page is supposed to represent but if it is a parody we don't see the joke.
"It is grossly misrepresenting Nick ... and Nick doesn't support this group."
The Nick Xenophon Team 4 ANUSA page has attracted about 240 likes.
Its few posts rally against "the establishment media", call for better parking for South Australian students (who "have to drive 13 hours to class but simply can't find a park when they get here") and accuse ANUSA of failing to spend money on South Australian jobs.
A student behind the page, who chose not to reveal their identity, said they were "very surprised" when they received the message from Mr Pangallo asking them to take it down. They were unlikely to actually run in the ANUSA elections, he or she said.
"I'd probably just say that the page is blatantly satirical and if anything it's positive towards him, so I'm not really sure why his office bothered to get in contact," they said.
When asked if the page would be deleted, they said: "Nah, don't really see a need to".
Mr Pangallo said the Nick Xenophon Team "reserved his rights" if action wasn't taken.
"Flattering if they think Nick can swing votes for them, but it is quite false and misleading," he said.
ANUSA president James Connolly said he had encouraged Senator Xenophon's team to report the page to Facebook.
"Because they haven't registered on a ticket they don't come under our election regulations ... we're in no position to direct them to do anything," he said.
