‘Meet Daniel’: Victorian Liberal deputy leader David Southwick uses party staffer in ads

Meet Daniel. He's 19, a university student and used to think politicians were only in it for themselves. Then he met the deputy Victorian Liberal leader, David Southwick. That's who he'll be voting for, Daniel tells the camera, in a video ad circulating on social media.

What Daniel - or anyone else - fails to mention is that he has a part-time job working for none other than Southwick himself.

The video, which was posted on social media on Monday, is being used as a paid ad on Facebook and Instagram to encourage young voters in the hyper-marginal seat of Caulfield to vote for Southwick.

"Hi, my name is Daniel," he says in the video. "I'm 19 years old and I'm a student at Monash Uni. When I was growing up, I thought that politicians were these people who were only in it for themselves: they say one thing, then do something else. And then I met David.

"David is my local MP and every time I go for a coffee he's always there, talking to locals, talking to people, seeing what matters to us. I think that's what I really want from an MP - someone who listens to young people and who listens to locals. That's why I'm voting for David at this election."

There is no mention in the video that Daniel also works part-time for Southwick.

Southwick's campaign manager has also appeared in another campaign video, in which "Andy" only describes himself as a 22-year-old "former independent supporter".