Prime minister Tony Abbott has compared opposition leader Bill Shorten to Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels in Question Time on Thursday. But Mr Abbott immediately threw up his hands and withdrew the comment.
It was the second Nazi Germany insult Mr Abbott has used in parliament in less than a month after he said Labor's economic policies led to a "holocaust of jobs" in the defence industry.
The prime minister was attacking Labor’s questions over budget projections when he leveled the insult at Mr Shorten.
"The Dr Goebbels of economic policy!" the PM cried, before throwing up his hands and telling the speaker, "I withdraw! I withdraw! I withdraw, Madam Speaker!"
In response to the sledge, Labor was in an uproar leading to speaker Bronwyn Bishop throwing out senior MP Mark Dreyfus.
Fellow Jewish MP Michael Danby reportedly walked out of parliament in disgust.
Dr Joseph Goebbels was the propaganda minister under Adolf Hitler and was responsible for many of the anti-semitic speeches and patriotic films that were used by the Nazi regime.
Opposition MPs were outraged and called for an apology to the Jewish community.
Tony Abbott should be ashamed of himself and he should apologise to the Jewish community immediately. This is a new low #auspol #shameful
@StephenJonesMP 'another' low. It's his second Nazi reference this year!
While others couldn't quite believe it had happened again.
Can Abbott do a Question Time without dropping a Nazi reference
*checks Hansard* Whoa, Tony Abbott has made more references to Nazi Germany than our five WWII prime ministers combined.
The proper riposte would have been: "And you, sir, are the Goering of economic policy - bombing all over the continent." #qt #boomboomtish
It's springtime for Hitler in Parliament. #qt
*resets the “days since tony abbott last invoked the nazis” clock*