The head of Katter's Australian Party in Queensland has defended Senator Fraser Anning for using the Nazi phrase "final solution" in a speech on Muslim immigration.
Senator Anning was praised by party leader Bob Katter after making his first upper house speech in Canberra on Tuesday during which he referenced the term and praised the White Australia policy.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Deputy Opposition Leader Tim Mander on Thursday both called on Robbie Katter, KAP's state leader and Bob Katter's son, to call out Senator Anning out for his remarks.
But the younger Mr Katter said the senator's words had been twisted and taken out of context.
"Anyone who says Fraser's language was a reference to neo-Nazi beliefs either hasn't read his speech or is trying to use any excuse to stifle public debate," Mr Katter said in a statement.
Mr Katter said heavy criticism of Senator Anning and KAP over his remarks ignored the party's call for a plebiscite on immigration.
"Both parties are too scared of extreme left minorities to acknowledge there is an issue with immigration," he added.
Ms Palaszczuk had earlier said Senator Anning's remarks on Muslim immigration and support for the White Australia Policy were revolting.
"Those comments that were made yesterday were disgusting, they have no place in Australian society," she said.
Ms Palaszczuk's Labor government had a good working relationship with the Katters in its last term of office, when they relied on their support in the hung state parliament.
Mr Mander meanwhile labelled the senator's comments as "totally unacceptable" and said the party needed to "get into the real world".
Senator Anning has been strongly criticised by all sides of politics as well as religious and migrant groups.
He has refused to apologise and says he does not regret anything he said.
The premier would not say if she thought the speech indicated KAP was positioning itself as an alternative to One Nation.
Senator Anning defected from One Nation to KAP immediately after taking a seat in the senate to replace former One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts, who resigned as part of the dual citizenship scandal.
Around 1942, Germany's Nazi leadership established a plan called 'The Final Solution to the Jewish Question', which led to the genocide of more than six million Jews in occupied Europe.
Australian Associated Press
