The One Nation candidate ridiculed after referring to Islam as a country in a television interview has withdrawn from the election campaign. 
 
 Stephanie Banister, 27, was running for the seat of Rankin in Queensland but One Nation leader Jim Savage told reporters on Saturday Ms Banister has decided to withdraw following the fallout from her interview with the Seven Network. 
 
 During the interview, which Mr Savage says was misrepresentative, Ms Banister referred to Islam as country as well as referring to the Koran as "haram" and saying the national disability insurance scheme was "working at the moment", when it does not begin until 2016. 
 
 "She continues to have the full support of the One Nation executive, and contrary to reports on the media last night and in the newspapers today, Stephanie has not been disendorsed and will not be disendorsed," Mr Savage said. 
 
 "However, due to the threats against Stephanie's family, herself, her children, the abuse she's copped and the enormous pressure she's been put under, Stephanie has decided she wants to withdraw from the candidacy for the seat of Rankin. We have accepted it with regret." 
 
 Ms Banister had only been in politics for 48 hours at the time of the interview and made a short statement alongside Mr Savage but wasn't allowed to answer any questions on Saturday. 
 
 "With the way Channel Seven edited my interview, I was left quite the fool," Ms Banister said. 
 
 "I'd like to apologise to One Nation, to my friends and family, for any embarrassment this has brought to them." 
 
 Mr Savage said it was his responsibility such a novice candidate had been allowed to conduct an interview without appropriate preparation but also claimed Channel Seven had unfairly targeted Ms Banister. 
 
 He said it was unclear at this stage if One Nation would nominate a replacement candidate for Rankin with the deadline for nominations on Thursday. 

 Story highlights Stephanie Banister was a candidate for a seat in Rankin, Queensland 
 
 Not anymore -- after she made religious and political gaffes 
 
 She later accused a television station of editing out her comments 
 
 A candidate in Australia's parliamentary elections referred to Islam as a country. As a result, she's now referred to as a former candidate. 
 
 Stephanie Banister, a 27-year-old welder running for a seat in Rankin, Queensland, unleashed a series of blunders during an interview with CNN affiliate 7 News. 
 
 "I don't oppose Islam as a country, but I do feel that their laws should not be welcome here in Australia," Banister said. 
 
 Then she added: "Less than 2% of Australians follow haram." It is unclear whether she meant the Muslim holy book, the Quran. Haram refers to things that are forbidden under Islamic law. 
 
 As if that's not enough, she got her religions all mixed up. 
 
 Australia's Abbott makes 'suppository of all wisdom' gaffe 
 
 "Jews aren't under haram, they have their own religion which follows Jesus Christ," she said. 
 
 Judaism is based on the old testament, which predates the birth of Jesus Christ. 
 
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 Her blunders, though, were not limited to religion. 
 
 She said the Australian national disability insurance scheme was "working at the moment." It is not set to begin until 2016, according to 7 News. 
 
 Banister was a candidate for the anti-immigration One Nation party in next month's elections. The interview gained her worldwide notoriety -- with commentators describing her as the "Australian Sarah Palin." 
 
 Palin, who was on Republican John McCain's ticket in the 2008 presidential election and is a former governor of Alaska, is known for her blunders. During the campaign, she once cited Russia's proximity to Alaska as bolstering her foreign policy credentials. 
 
 It's unclear when Banister's interview was aired, but it went viral soon after. She accused the affiliate of editing out numerous phrases where she corrected herself and said "Islamic countries." 
 
 "With the way Channel Seven edited my interview, I was left quite the fool," Banister said. 
 
 On Saturday, the mother of two withdrew from the race, citing threats to her family. 
 
 Her campaign lasted a total of 48 hours. 
 
 Opinion: Why gaffes are good for us
– Like many fledgling politicians, Stephanie Banister gave an interview with a couple of gaffes. And like a select few politicians of any experience level, her gaffes went viral. But in this case, the 27-year-old welder and Queensland parliamentary candidate's contention that Islam is a country, among other blunders, earned her the nickname the "Australian Sarah Palin" and effectively ended her campaign after 48 hours. For the record, Banister contends that the Aussie TV station that aired her interview selectively edited it so that "I was left quite the fool." Highlights from the blooper reel, as per CNN: "I don't oppose Islam as a country, but I do feel that their laws should not be welcome here in Australia." Banister claims she later corrected herself, and referenced "Islamic countries," which did not make the final cut. "Less than 2% of Australians follow haram." "Haram" includes things prohibited under Islamic law; CNN thinks she was referring to the Koran. "Jews aren't under haram, they have their own religion which follows Jesus Christ." Not so much. Banister later said a national disability insurance plan "was working at the moment;" CNN affiliate 7 News notes that it doesn't take effect til 2016. Banister was running as a candidate for anti-immigration party One Nation, which stood by her. But, it said in a statement yesterday, "due to the threats against Stephanie's family, herself, her children, the abuse she's copped and the enormous pressure she's been put under, Stephanie has decided she wants to withdraw from the candidacy for the seat of Rankin. We have accepted it with regret."