A social media brawl has escalated into a death threat against a Coalition backbencher who told “budget whingers” to go live like the poor in Asia.

Queensland Nationals backbencher George Christensen claims he received death threats following his controversial tweet yesterday about the federal budget and accused Bill Shorten of “fanning the violence”.

Mr Christensen said he had gone to the federal police over the threats which he received in an anonymous email which warned that in Asian countries MPs are assassinated. He said the threat was accompanied by a photo of a man whose head had been blown off.

“Just remember arsewipe, those Asian countries also have a high number of MP (sic) that are assassinated. Aussies have GUNS.. Just remember that!,” the email said. “You have just become a MARK!”

I received a death threat in relation to my comments re budget. This is where public discourse has sunk. Shorten is fanning this violence.

— George Christensen (@GChristensenMP) May 22, 2014

Mr Christensen said he was surprised his comments attracted a death threat serious enough to report to police.

“It’s probably the most confronting email I’ve ever received,” the Member for Dawson told AAP.

“You receive nasty emails (as an MP)… I have a thick enough skin for that but I don’t have a thick enough skin to stop a bullet from going through my head.”

A spokesperson for Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said claims he was “fanning the violence”, were a “disgusting new low” for the Liberal party.

“If the prime minister has any sense, he’d instruct George Christensen to apologise for this offensive and irresponsible statement,” she said.

“There is a right way and a wrong way to protest this unfair budget – making threats like this is never acceptable.”

The debate began when Mr Christensen used Twitter yesterday to voice his disapproval of Australians angry about the tough budget measures. “Aussies should do tour of Asia & live like locals to put these 1st world complaints re budget in perspective,” he tweeted on Thursday.

Aussies should do tour of Asia & live like locals to put these 1st world complaints re budget in perspective #auspol pic.twitter.com/FR4MvkxxI1

— George Christensen (@GChristensenMP) May 22, 2014

The comments have been slammed on Twitter as “disgraceful” escalating to today’s claims about death threats.

However, despite blaming others for the violent extent of the threat, the outspoken MP also continued to engage in the controversy tweeting that the “lefty twitter warriors have gone into meltdown”.

This morning he also retweeted a Twitter user who defended him using a sexist analogy.

User @lickspitler tweeted: “@GChristensenMP @AndrewAQLD Chill dude the left don’t go head to head with men. If you were a chick you could have concerns.”

Mr Christensen also provided a link to what he referred to as “Nazis” criticising his comments.

– with AAP