Melbourne councillor Stephen Mayne is challenging former Howard and Abbott minister Kevin Andrews at the ballot box, promising to tackle the "capital C conservative" by running as a "true liberal" at the election.

Cr Mayne, a serial candidate, is pitching himself as a Hamer Liberal candidate, attacking Mr Andrews' socially conservative views, which he believes are out of step with modern attitudes.

Shareholder advocate Stephen Mayne. Credit:Justin McManus

"He is a 1950s capital C conservative. These dinosaurs can hide in the Senate in smaller states but Kevin Andrews shouldn't be doing this in Hamer Liberal territory in progressive Melbourne," Cr Mayne told Fairfax Media.

The councillor's bold bid for the seat came as the Victorian Liberal Party was rocked by allegations of ethnic branch stacking in Mr Andrews' seat, with one of the former defence minister's staff resigning after being accused of orchestrating stacks in the Macedonian community.