Chief Minister Andrew Barr has issued a veiled warning to voters to be wary of "stooge independents" running for the Legislative Assembly later this year.
Mr Barr said independent candidates would not presumably seek to form government in their own right, which meant they needed to decide who they would support.
"So that's a question I think they should answer before polling day and give a straight and honest answer to the community," Mr Barr said.
"Are they running as an independent to support a Liberal government, or would they support a Labor government?
"That's, I think, the question that should be answered before polling day. Maybe it doesn't need to be answered on day one ... and I think the people who fudge on that, the independents who don't give a straight answer to that question are likely stooge independents that are running on someone else's agenda."
Mr Barr anticipated a fierce competition for the Assembly's crossbench, but said Labor had shown its capacity to work with other members to form government.
"In the past, we've worked with Democrats, we've worked with independents, we've worked with the Greens. So I think the key and consistent theme in that is our ability to work with others," he said.
"That perhaps stands in some contrast with the Canberra Liberals, who can't even work with themselves. The Liberals have churned through deputy leaders at a rate of knots. There's a lot of instability on that side of politics."
ACT Labor on Monday revealed its 25-member ticket to contest the 2024 ACT election, the same day Clare Carnell and Thomas Emerson announced they were developing an Independents for Canberra ticket.
Ms Carnell's mother, Kate Carnell, was the last Liberal leader to form government in the ACT after an election.
Clare Carnell has said it was a difficult decision to cut ties with the Liberals, but said she continued to belong to the "sensible centre".
Mr Emerson, a staffer in ACT independent senator David Pocock's office and the son of former federal Labor minister Craig Emerson, said it was not yet clear who would make the best chief minister.
"We're keen to work constructively with whomever that is and they've got nine months to make their case," Mr Emerson said on Monday.
Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee said she agreed there was a mood for change but warned the only way to change the government in October would be for Canberrans to vote Liberal.
Ms Lee also brushed aside any suggestion Ms Carnell's defection from the Liberals would damage the party's brand in the territory.
"Clare is her own person and she's made her decision and, you know, and I accept that decision," Ms Lee said.
The Opposition Leader said she welcomed anyone putting their hand up to run as an independent for the Assembly.
"I think that it's incumbent on the independents to [tell] the Canberra community what it is that they're looking for and I'm sure that the Canberra public will be also seeking that information," she said.
"As to when they announce that and and how they do it, that is a matter for them. But for us, I'm focused on making sure that we see a change of government."
