Abbott hurls another Nazi insult at Labor
AAP
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has sparked outrage by comparing the Opposition leader to Adolf Hitler’s closest ally.
Bill Shorten is “the Dr Goebbels of economic policy,” said the Prime Minister with a smirk before immediately withdrawing his comment.
His remark, made in defence of the Liberal Party’s failure to achieve a surplus, was a reference to Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels, who ordered the killing and persecution of Jews throughout the reign of the Third Reich.
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Jewish politician Mark Dreyfus was so enraged that the Speaker forced him to leave. Photo: AAP
Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, a Jew, immediately rose to his feet and loudly denounced the comparison, causing him to be thrown out of the chamber by Speaker Bronwyn Bishop.
This prompted fellow Jewish politician Michael Danby, a Labor backbencher, to walk out in disgust, followed soon after by another two of his colleagues.
The PM eventually apologised, but some in his party accused Labor of hypocrisy amidst the ensuing chaos.
In years past, Mr Dreyfus has accused the Liberal party of “Goebbelian cynicism”.
Manager of Opposition Business Tony Burke asked the Speaker to allow Mr Dreyfus to return to the chamber, but Ms Bishop refused.
This is at least the second time that the Liberal leader has used a Nazi reference.
Last month, Mr Abbott accused the previous Labor government of causing a “Holocaust of jobs” through economic mismanagement.
