Rockingham-based MP Aaron Stonehouse has become embroiled in an online war of words, with the South Metropolitan MLC standing by his assertion a member of the public who questioned him is a “deadset ….wit”.

The Liberal Democrats MP, who was voted into the Upper House in last year’s State election, has been advocating for persecuted white farmers in South Africa to receive asylum in Australia.

An angry exchange of words on Twitter took place between Mr Stonehouse and resident Anthony Shane Negus, who opposed the Rockingham MP’s views on immigration.

This led to the politician’s foul-mouthed reprimand.

Mr Negus said he was taken aback by Mr Stonehouse’s language, which he said was not befitting of a member of Parliament.

“It was well out of order – I had been challenging him robustly but for a Member of Parliament to reply that way was going too far over the line,” he said.

“He won’t tolerate a dissenting opinion, which was not expressed at all aggressively – it was rational and civil.

“I’m a taxpayer and a citizen. He is a representative of not just those who voted for him but all citizens – we pay his salary when all is said and done. For him to treat me like that was well out of order.

“I want him held to account. We don’t expect our parliamentary representatives to treat us so shabbily.”

When questioned about his Twitter post, Mr Stonehouse stood by his initial comments.

“I speak in the same manner that the people who voted for me tend to speak. That’s often plain, straight to the point, and, yes, it does involve calling out nonsense,” he said.

“If someone is going to call me a racist without any evidence and resort to attacks, then I’ll call them out for what they are: a deadset …wit.”