This time, Mr Tehan has been accused of misrepresenting his small-business background after it was found his Hamilton-based rural consultancy firm was only set up after his preselection and initially listed its base in Hawthorn.

Mr Tehan yesterday stressed that the business was run out of Hamilton, where he lives, and has an Australian Business Number and clients.

The Liberal candidate has campaigned on his small business and rural credentials by highlighting the farming consultancy firm in campaign material distributed to voters throughout Wannon and on his website.

He has faced consistent criticisms from his opponents for not living in the south-west until he won a preselection ballot for the Liberal Party last September.

The most strident critic has been independent Katrina Rainsford, who lost in the Liberal preselection battle against Mr Tehan and has since revealed the former diplomat listed his occupation as “preselection candidate” in an application form submitted before the party ballot.

Now Strathdownie farmer Malcolm Cash alleges that Mr Tehan claimed that his rural consultancy firm was established to give him a “veneer of being a rural businessman’’.

Information obtained through the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) show Mr Tehan’s company Tehantrade was established in November last year.

The principal place of business listed in the historical company extract for Tehantrade was Hawthorn East at the time of registration, the same address as his place of residence.

But the company’s location was changed to Hamilton in February this year, according to the federal government’s business index website.

Mr Cash, who has indicated he is a supporter of Dr Rainsford, said the Liberal candidate was “trying to fool voters that he’s not from Melbourne”.

The farmer questioned Mr Tehan's business acumen at The Standard's election forum, asking whether Mr Tehan had previously filled out a Business Activities Statement (BAS).

"Tehantrade's ABN is registered in Hamilton yet his principal place of business registered with ASIC is based in Hawthorn," Mr Cash said.

"Daniel Tehan's apparent Hamilton-based business was set up in Hawthorn after he was pre-selected.

''I've got nothing against him running his own business but as a businessman and farmer myself, it annoys me that he's advertising himself as a rural consultant when most people who know him well enough realise he's a full-time election candidate."

Mr Tehan issued a statement yesterday stating that he operated a small business advising clients in the agriculture and trade areas.

"The business is run out of Hamilton where I live, it has an ABN and clients," he stated.

"Since the election was called I have been full-time campaigning, working to deliver commitments such as an MRI machine for Warrnambool... upgraded lighting for Melville Oval as well as other important issues."

Dr Rainsford told The Standard yesterday as a long-standing Wannon resident she "had never heard of an agricultural or trade advisor from Hamilton called Daniel Tehan."

"But I like others have read and heard this message in advertisements," she said.

"(Mr Tehan) should just be up front in his advertisements and admit that he has lived and worked in Melbourne and only came to Hamilton after he was preselected."

asinnott@standard.fairfax.com.au