Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has clarified why he followed an Instagram account dedicated to ousting Tony Abbott which has heightened tensions within the Liberal Party.
The 'Vote Tony Out' Instagram account has amassed 10,000 followers including Mr Turnbull, his wife Lucy and son Alex.
On Thursday morning, Mr Turnbull claimed people merely followed accounts to make sure they could see the "person's post in your feed".
"It’s pretty obvious really but following someone on Instagram or Twitter does not imply support approval or endorsement - simply that you are for whatever reason currently interested in seeing the followed person’s posts in your feed," he tweeted.
"And another equally obvious point. The more you try to bully people into NOT reading something the more they will do so. Freedom matters."
Earlier, Mr Abbott gave Mr Turnbull the benefit of the doubt during a radio interview on 2GB.
"Maybe he’s just keeping an eye on them so he can help me more effectively," Mr Abbott said on Wednesday.
"There are lots of people who follow sites not because they particularly support the site but because they want to know what the bad guys are up to. That’s the interpretation I’d like to put on it."
Earlier on Wednesday, The Australian reported the Roseville branch voted to expel Mr Turnbull - in a non-binding vote - in a sign of ongoing division within the party.
The branch passed the expulsion motion 16–2, with members apparently citing Mr Turnbull’s decision not to publicly campaign in the Wentworth by-election.
They were also motivated by Mr Turnbull's interest in the Vote Tony Out campaign.
