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Public servants have been warned to watch their Facebook likes and shares during their election campaign while Defence Force personnel have been told they will be punished if caught electioneering in uniform. Bosses at the Australian Public Service and the Australian Defence Force have laid down the law on political activity by the rank and file in the wake of anti-government protests by Border Force officials and election candidates parading their military uniforms in their campaigning materials. Public servants have been put on notice from their workplace authority the Australian Public Service Commission, about the perils posed by social media to their employers' non-political status. The warnings come in the wake of a row at the Australian Border Force with officials there accused of wearing fake uniforms while protesting against the Coalition government, with which they are locked in a bitter two-year dispute over pay and conditions. The government has faced dissent in its term from the military community with former Prime Minister Tony Abbott forced to back down on a pay offer in the face of a determined grassroots campaign, much of it conducted online, by families and support groups. Two candidates, West Australian Liberal Canning MP Andrew Hastie and Queensland ALP hopeful Pat O'Neill, have been asked to stop using images from their Army days in their campaigning material For the public service, authorities have set out the rules on what is and is not permitted under its code-of-conduct and Commonwealth bureaucrats can engage in online political debates "within limits" according to the Commission. "Employees should be sure that any comments they make on social media do not seriously call into question their impartiality," the bulletin warns. "This includes 'liking' or 'sharing' material posted by other users, which will often be seen as an endorsement of the views expressed in those posts." Limits also apply to talking politics in the office with the Commission worried about things getting heated in otherwise tranquil government workplaces. "Australian Public Service employees should remember to be respectful of others' opinions and have regard for the need to maintain harmonious workplace relationships," the bulletin reads. Soldiers, sailors and Air Force personnel were told on Wednesday that they were entitled to political opinions, but they just need to be careful how they expressed their views. "ADF members are also citizens of Australia," the orders stated. "There is no limit on holding personal political opinions and expressing them as private citizens. However, to preserve the ADF's political neutrality, it is essential that members of the ADF do not associate or identify the ADF with the expression of their private opinions." Political activities on Defence property is a no-no, as is wearing their uniforms while campaigning, or posting pictures of themselves on social media sites beside political opinions Party ribbons, badges and t-shirts while on duty or in uniform are banned as is using ADF rank when describing or referring to themselves for political purposes. The top brass says it is prepared to use the military's justice system to crack down on any of members stepping out of line. "ADF members who breach these requirements, compromising the political neutrality of the ADF, may be subject to administrative and or disciplinary action," the order states.

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