Comments by a Western Australian One Nation candidate attacking "lazy" single mothers hark back to the pre-World War II era and are not acceptable, a peak national body says.

Pilbara One Nation candidate David Archibald attracted criticism after penning an article in the right-wing magazine Quadrant, describing single mothers as "too lazy to attract and hold a mate, undoing the work of possibly 3 million years of evolutionary pressure".

He also described "single motherhood" as a "lifestyle choice", and suggested defunding the disability support pension and childcare payments.

National Council for Single Mothers and their Children chief executive Terese Edwards said Mr Archibald's comments were disrespectful.

"I just found it incredible that a man in 2017 would feel comfortable in being so disrespectful to women — women who are doing a wonderful job in raising children by themselves," she said.

"He seems quite out of touch and I didn't really understand his thinking behind it, he spoke about being too lazy to keep a partner and for me that seems to hark back to pre-World War II times."

Her response followed a call from federal Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese — who was raised by a single mum — for One Nation to dump Mr Archibald.

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten also weighed in, saying Mr Archibald was not fit for office.

"Parents have a hard enough time raising their children in the modern era," he said.

"They don't need out of touch extremists vilifying them, making their lives harder."

Mr Archibald declined an interview with the ABC, but earlier said he stood by what he had written.

The party did not respond to a request for a comment, but Ms Hanson this morning sent a tweet that appeared to confirm that One Nation would not be dumping Mr Archibald.

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Pilbara voters urged to reject candidate

Ms Edwards said she hoped Pilbara voters made their views clear to Mr Archibald.

"I hope they're very vocal in letting him know that those words and stigma are not acceptable," she said.

"I get really shocked that someone can talk with a sense that they understand the lived experience of being a single mother, you can only speak with that sense of authority if you've been one."

Karratha resident Catherine told ABC North West WA she is a single mother who works long hours to support her children.

"There are lots of different situations and lots of families that needs support, not just single mums," she said.

"It's just about the children in general, and helping them no matter what the background is."

Another Karratha resident, Michelle, said she did not believe Mr Archibald's views would win votes in the Pilbara.

"Where is he coming from, where does he live?" she said.

"That doesn't seem to be how we are here in Karratha, it just doesn't match this area, that's what I think."