ALP hits ‘new low’ in Nazi claim brawl

Peter Dutton has been urged to apologise after an official denied Nazis promoted indifference towards abuse of minorities.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton is facing calls to apologise. Picture: Annette Dew.

A political brawl has erupted over ­Immigration secretary ­Michael Pezzullo’s denial that Nazi Germany promoted indifference towards the abuses of minorities.

Labor immigration spokesman Richard Marles urged Immigration Minister Peter Dutton to apologise after Mr Pezzullo slammed suggestions detention involved “a ‘public numbing and indifference’ similar to that ­allegedly experienced in Nazi Germany” as “highly offensive”.

Mr Marles said Mr Pezzullo’s reference to alleged Nazi actions was “deeply offensive”. “It is so important that the reality of what occurred during the Nazi era is accepted so that this greatest documented evil of humanity never happens again,” he said.

Mr Dutton said Labor had “stooped to a new low” in ­attacking Mr Pezzullo for his “considered and robust” defence of his department and staff.

Mr Pezzullo was quoting an article by child psychiatrist ­Michael Dudley, who insisted there was a “connection” between Nazi Germany and the public’s bystander response to asylum-seekers in detention.