A KATTER'S Australian Party candidate has quit and a second hopeful has been sidelined after they made controversial comments about gay rights.

Tess Corbett, who had nominated for the federal seat of Wannon in Victoria, sparked a furore following an interview with her local paper in which she said: ''Paedophiles will be next in line to be recognised in the same way as gays and lesbians and get rights.''

The Katter's Australian Party national director, Aidan McLindon, told Fairfax Media Ms Corbett had decided to pull out of the race.

A short time later, Mr McLindon confirmed the party had also suspended the membership of former national secretary Bernard Gaynor, who had been one of several Senate contenders in Queensland.