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Posted: 2024-10-22 02:16:26

A Liberal National Party candidate in Far North Queensland hopes voters forgive her for a Nazi-related social media gaffe but admits it may cost her votes in the state election.

Bree James, who is contesting the seat of Barron River in Saturday's state election, posted a photo of herself last weekend beside a banner vandalised with a Hitler moustache.

"Even my banner is getting in the spirit and celebrating my German heritage," she wrote.

Ms James apologised and took down the post.

At a pre-poll booth in the electorate this week, Ms James said she had deservedly been reprimanded by LNP leader David Crisafulli.

"It was a poor taste joke and I've asked for forgiveness about that and I hope people will forgive that," she said.

Labor holds Barron River on a 3.1 per cent margin and a predicted swing would see it change hands on Saturday.

A smiling blonde woman stands next to a poster of herself that has had a Hitler moustache drawn on it.

Bree James captioned the photo "Even my banner is getting in the spirit and celebrating my German heritage". (Facebook)

'It's not funny'

Labor incumbent Craig Crawford said Ms James's post was more than "just an error of judgement".

"Bree James is unfit for office," Mr Crawford said.

Ms James conceded the Facebook post may affect her polling.

"It could happen, but I hope people realise the hard work I've done for the last 13 months and that I'm human," she said.

A mi9ddle-aged man in a dark suit stands in front of a stone building.

Barron River incumbent Craig Crawford said Ms James's post was more than "just an error of judgement". (ABC News: Scott Kyle)

Mr Crawford said MPs "need to be able to exercise better judgement".

"I'm pretty sure that if I had done something stupid like that I certainly would've offered my position up to the Premier, because I wouldn't want to be a handbrake on my political party," he said.

Speaking at the LNP's official campaign launch last weekend, Mr Crisafulli said he had spoken to Ms James.

"Is this acceptable?" he said on Sunday.

"It's not — it's disappointing, it's wrong, it's not funny, and I've expressed my view to her very clearly."

Premier Steven Miles said he "would certainly have reprimanded a candidate" if they had done the same thing.

"And, depending on their position within the party, considered whether that was appropriate to continue," he said.

Ms James did not appear at the LNP press conference in Cairns on Monday, where the party's candidate for Cairns, Yolonde Entsch, addressed media alongside LNP frontbencher Tim Nicholls.

"Bree's job, responsibility is to be at pre-poll, to be talking to voters who want to get in early, who want to vote to change the government," Mr Nicholls said.

Ms James said her team had worked to remove the vandalism from the banner.

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