Labor's Kim Carr is the latest senator who has been forced to apologise and withdraw offensive remarks during an Estimates hearing, after suggesting Liberal James Paterson would have been part of the Hitler Youth movement.
During a discussion about research, Senator Carr, aged 62, was musing about the impact of the French Revolution when Senator Paterson, aged 30, chimed in to ask him about the Russian Revolution — a barbed comment suggesting a socialist bent.
Senator Carr then pointed at Senator Paterson as he responded, prompting a terse exchange between the pair.
CARR: Those in the Hitler Youth [points at Paterson] would understand that only too well.
PATERSON: That's outrageous Senator Carr, that is seriously offensive. I ask that you withdraw that.
CARR: I was being facetious don't be silly.
PATERSON: It's not being facetious. Accusing someone of being a Nazi is a very serious thing, it's appalling.
CARR: If you took offence, I withdraw it.
Senator Carr then took offence at Senator Paterson's dig about the Russian Revolution, accusing him of "throwing a bucket of shit" on him.
The Labor senator later apologised for his remarks.
Outside the hearing, Senator Paterson conceded it was "not a particularly edifying" exchange but noted it was not the first time Senator Carr had made a Nazi reference, after last year accusing him of "goose-stepping".
"It's extremely demeaning to survivors of the Holocaust and to their descendants, it diminishes their experience," he told Sky News.
"For all the political insults we throw at each other, surely that's one we can leave aside."
The Hitler Youth was the youth wing of the Nazi Party in Germany before and during World War II.
The row came a day after Jobs Minister Michaelia Cash's extraordinary outburst in a separate Estimates hearing, in which she threatened to reveal unverified rumours about female staff in the Opposition Leader's office.
Labor blasted the Minister, described her comments as "ghastly, sexist and a throwback to the 1950s", and has demanded a proper apology.
Senator Cash's Cabinet colleagues are digging in behind her, but say she was right to withdraw her remarks.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has tried to turn the spotlight on the Opposition, suggesting some on the Labor side should be careful about throwing stones.
"I think people are really feeling a sense of frustration," he said.
"Over the course of the last few weeks, we've been lectured to and moralised on by people who really should check their own situation first."
Senator Paterson said politicians are at a "lower ebb" than they have been in many years and they had a collective task to try and improve their standing among voters.
"I think it's actually a critical task because it's very dangerous for our national institutions to have their public confidence undermined like this," he said.
