Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is standing by his decision to dump a Labor candidate, saying his behaviour didn't meet the standards expected from the party.
Geoff Lake was running for the ALP in the safe Labor Victorian seat of Hotham when he found himself in hot water over his conduct towards a female councillor more than 10 years ago.
Mr Lake said he had apologised to fellow Monash City councillor Kathy Magee for verbally abusing her during a heated argument at a meeting in 2002 and remained remorseful.
But when the incident resurfaced, the ALP national secretary launched an inquiry.
Mr Rudd said the collective view was that Mr Lake didn't meet the standards of future Labor parliamentary members.
"The decisions taken yesterday were hard decisions but they were the right decisions," he told reporters.
"When I talk abut a new way in politics, I mean a new way in politics and I stand by those decisions."
He said problems always emerged with some candidates during an election campaign and a "shakedown" sometimes occurred.
In a statement on Sunday, Mr Lake said he apologised after making "inappropriate and hurtful comments" in the heat of the moment.
"At the time of the incident, I was 22 years old," he said.
"I regretted making the comments then and continue to regret it now."
The incident had been rehashed numerous times since then, including during his four successful re-election campaigns for Monash Council.
But he accepted the ALP's decision and categorically denied any other rumour or allegation of wrongdoing.
Senior Labor MPs defended the prime minister's move as an example of clear and decisive leadership on a difficult matter.
Mr Rudd said he'd been looking to the "good wisdom" of the ALP national executive as they searched for another candidate for Hotham.
They will also be on the lookout for a replacement for Ken Robertson, who was running in the north Queensland seat of Kennedy held by Katter's Australian Party's Bob Katter.
Mr Robertson resigned on Saturday after reportedly calling Opposition Leader Tony Abbott a bigot and insinuating he'd bring back the White Australia policy.
