Australian nationalist politician Stephanie Banister has quit her candidacy after a series of calamitous gaffes she made in an interview made international headlines.
The short TV interview with Channel 7 News, went viral after the Brisbane parliamentary candidate for the anti-immigration One Nation party said Islam was a country, said Jewish people follow Jesus and praised a government programme that does not start for another three years.
"I don't oppose Islam as a country but I do feel their laws should not be welcome here in Australia," she said.
Later in the interview, Banister claims she wants halal food to be banned. But does not have a problem with kosher food being sold.
"Jews aren't under haram, they have their own religion which follows Jesus Christ," she said.
"With the way Channel Seven edited my interview, I was left quite the fool," Banister said in a brief statement, withdrawing from the race.
"I'd like to apologise to One Nation, to my friends and family, for any embarrassment this has brought to them."
The leader of One Nation, Jim Savage, said Banister continued to have the "full support" of the party executive.
The 27-year-old ex-candidate for the One Nation party was already facing disqualification after being charged for placing stickers on products in a Brisbane supermarket that read "halal food funds terrorism".
Banister had earlier told Fairfax media that she had been mis-represented in the interview. ''Unfortunately, they've completely twisted all my words and made me out to be a stand-up criminal and a stupid moron,'' she said.