Victorian Liberal candidate for the Victorian seat of Bendigo West Jack Lyons has quit over a series of “offensive” comments he posted on Facebook.

News Limited published some of Mr Lyons’ Facebook comments that included derogatory comments about women, people from Africa and China.

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According to the report, Mr Lyons’ said that Bendigo needed was “needing an enema”, and described its historic Golden Dragon Museum as “ching chong gardens”.

On Facebook he posted that a good pick-up line was “Hey, does this rag smell like chloroform to you?”

In a statement, the Liberal Party’s Victorian director Damien Mantach said the comments were made in a closed Facebook group and were meant as a joke.

“Jack Lyons has tonight withdrawn his candidacy as the Liberal Party candidate for Bendigo West,” Mr Mantach said.

“The majority of the comments were written as jokes and posted in a closed Facebook page some years before he became a member of the Liberal Party.

“However, Mr Lyons acknowledges the comments are juvenile and offensive. He has apologised unreservedly.”

Last week another Victorian Liberal candidate, Aaron Lane, resigned over a string of sexist and homophobic tweets.

He was preselected in May to contest the Western Victoria region in the Upper House.

– with ABC