The leader of the Canberra Liberals has confirmed that a candidate who posted controversial social media posts under a pseudonym will run for the party in next month’s Australian Capital Territory election.

Yesterday it was revealed that the Liberal candidate for Ginninderra, Darren Roberts, had been sharing posts on his Facebook account under the pseudonym Bert Poppins, which ACT Labor has described as “racist and offensive”.

The posts included comments about the use of indigenous place names and an offensive meme about federal senator Lydia Thorpe.

The account also shared content that appeared to criticize transgender people’s participation in sports and people who identify with a gender different from the one they were assigned at birth.

Liberal leader Elizabeth Lee today said the views expressed by Mr Roberts did not reflect her views or those of the party as a whole.

“I had the opportunity to speak to Mr. Roberts and expressed my views to him,” Ms. Lee said.

However, she confirmed that he would not be rejected as the Liberal Party candidate after yesterday’s draw.

“If elected, we will have further discussion.”

Ms Lee also did not rule out campaigning with Mr Roberts and said if the request came she would “consider it”.

Earlier, Prime Minister Andrew Barr said the attitudes expressed in social media posts were “endemic within the Liberal Party, particularly in the Australian Capital Territory”.

“Elizabeth Lee tried to suppress it, but not very successfully.”

“I had a great day yesterday”

In her first media appearance since the reports emerged, Ms Lee rejected suggestions she had dodged questions on the matter by not attending a news conference to announce the health policy yesterday.

“The media statement that (deputy leader Leanne Castley) was supposed to make about the operation was directed at her from the outset,” she said.

“I had a great day yesterday talking to hundreds of Canberrans about issues that directly affect them.”

Liberals maintain decision to dump Kikkert

It was also the first news conference by an opposition leader since former Liberal MP Elizabeth Kikkert responded to allegations that she had failed to follow donation disclosure rules and behaved inappropriately in the workplace.

Ms Kikkert withdrew from the Liberal Party election two weeks ago and later announced her candidacy for the Family First party.

She has denied the allegations against her, but Ms Lee said the Canberra Liberals’ management committee stands by its decision to remove the Ginninderra MP.

Ms Lee also said the emergence of CCTV footage showing Ms Kikkert in a heated exchange with a Liberal Party staff member “played a significant role” in her dismissal.

Ms Kikkert claims the footage was selectively edited to mislead.

Yesterday’s draw confirmed that the Canberra Liberals have not replaced Ms Kikkert with a new candidate and will field just four candidates in the Ginninderra constituency.