Baker released a statement saying he’d no longer stand at the September 7 poll, although his name will still appear on the ballot paper.
“I deeply regret the posts made on my website and decided that it was not appropriate to continue as the party’s candidate,” Baker said.
Opposition leader Tony Abbott said Baker had “done the wrong thing, no doubt about that, he absolutely has done the wrong thing”.
“Now, to his credit he has pulled down the site. He has abjectly and I think quite properly apologised,” Abbott said.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd had earlier told Abbott to show “a bit of leadership and guts” and strip Baker of his endorsement, just as Rudd did with two of his candidates early in the campaign.
Baker’s withdrawal won’t likely impact Liberal’s chances at the election, with NSW seat Charlton a Labor stronghold.
The Labor candidate is Pat Conroy, departing MP Greg Combet’s former deputy chief of staff.
Baker’s offence included rude and offensive gags on the Mini-Mods website which he is a moderator for.
The site for Mini Cooper fans includes links to porn and joke threads, which he commented on.
“I set up an online forum for Mini Cooper enthusiasts several years ago,” Baker said in a statement. “On the site I made comments that were inappropriate, which I deeply regret and for which I apologise unreservedly. In the last few years I have also failed to moderate the site properly.”
@MikeCarlton01 One of the ‘milder’ comments Kevin Baker has let stand since August 2006 #WaybackMachine pic.twitter.com/rTCkrVM3Ce
— no_filter_Yamba (@no_filter_Yamba) August 20, 2013