Islam Gaffe Candidate Banister Quits Australia Election
An Australian election candidate who was widely mocked after she mistook Islam for a country in a TV interview has withdrawn her candidacy.
Stephanie Banister, 27, was contesting a seat in Queensland for the anti-immigration One Nation Party. She had only been in politics for 48 hours.
Ms Banister also confused the term “haram” (forbidden) with the Koran and suggested Jews worshipped Jesus Christ.
The interview, which aired early this week, went viral on social media.
”I don’t oppose Islam as a country, umm, but I do feel that their laws should not be welcome here in Australia,” Ms Banister told Seven News reporter Erin Edwards.
‘Quite the fool’
She announced her withdrawal from the election on Saturday.
“With the way Channel Seven edited my interview, I was left quite the fool,” Ms Banister said in a brief statement.
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