Mr Lane resigned after a series of homophobic and sexist remarks on social media surfaced on Friday.

The remarks, published on Twitter, used derogatory language to describe gay people.

Other tweets used language too vile to republish to describe former Federal Labor leader Simon Crean and former Speaker Peter Slipper.

Mr Lane was second on the Liberal Party Western Victoria ticket after Member for Western Victoria Simon Ramsay. 

The party chose him after David Koch’s announcement that he would not contest November’s election.

Liberal Party state director Damien Mantach said Mr Lane resigned prior to an administrative commission meeting to decide his fate.

“The Liberal Party acknowledges that comments made by Mr Lane are hurtful to many people and are entirely unacceptable,” he said.

“While Mr Lane has unreservedly apologised for his comments, the party believes it is important to send a strong message to the community that this behaviour will not be tolerated.”

Premier Denis Napthine called for Mr Lane to stand down on Friday.

“There is no place in my team or in the Coalition for this sort of behaviour and these sorts of comments,” he said.

Mr Lane visited Horsham last month to launch the State Government’s regional growth plan alongside Planning Minister Matthew Guy, Member for Lowan Hugh Delahunty and Nationals candidate for Lowan Emma Kealy.

Ms Pulford said the Liberal Party needed to go back to the drawing board to find a more tolerant representative.

“Mr Lane’s comments wouldn’t be tolerated in a school yard playground or on a football field,” she said.

Greens candidate for Western Victoria Lloyd Davies slammed the tweets and said the Liberal Party had no choice but to sack Mr Lane.

Mr Ramsay did not respond to a request for comment.