Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has suggested that Bob Katter "have a look at himself" after the maverick federal MP threatened to punch a journalist on Thursday.
Katter's threat came after his heritage was questioned ahead of so-called pro-Australia rallies planned across the country.
Katter, 80, confronted a TV reporter and thrust a fist in his face when asked about his family's Lebanese heritage in fiery scenes in Brisbane on Thursday.
The Queensland MP had been expressing his support for Sunday's controversial anti-migration March for Australia rallies at a press conference when he suddenly became heated.
Katter, who is federal parliament's longest-serving MP, became irate when asked about his Lebanese heritage by Nine Network journalist Josh Bavas.
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His grandfather Carl Robert Katter immigrated from Lebanon to Australia in 1898.
"Don't say that, because that irritates me, and I punch blokes in the mouth for saying that," Katter yelled, cutting off the reporter's question.
"I am Australian. My family have been here since the dawn of time."
Katter then approached Bavas with a raised fist when the reporter tried to ask what he thought about migrants who arrived in Australia with "good values".
"You're a racist," the veteran MP said, holding his fist close to the reporter's face.
"You cannot say what you just said without being identified as a racist.
"Gentlemen, ladies, this man is a racist. Don't listen to him."
Bavas stood his ground, taking Katter to task about the confrontation.
"I don't think it's fair to threaten journalists with a fist before they've even finished the question — I think it's quite offensive to threaten a journalist," he replied.
Behaviour 'not what's expected' of politicians, Albanese says
On Friday, Albanese criticised Katter's interaction with the journalist.
"Bob Katter, I like, but Bob Katter needs to have a look at that footage," the prime minister told Nine's Today show.
"Have a look at himself, frankly, and recognise that that’s just not what we expect of any Australian, let alone someone who's in public office.
"You're speaking to someone called Albanese. We've got a Senate leader called [Penny] Wong. Migration enriches.
"Except for the First Australians, we're all either migrants or descendants of them."
Federal health minister Mark Butler similarly said that both Katter's threat and the physical approach of Bavas were "completely unacceptable".
Federal MP Bob Katter approached Nine News reporter Josh Bavas with a raised fist when the reporter tried to ask what he thought about migrants who arrived in Australia with "good values". Source: AAP / Fraser Barton
"You should always be able to feel safe and respected at work, journalists and politicians, the idea of threatening violence is entirely unacceptable," Hume told Seven's Sunrise program.
Nationals leader David Littleproud also weighed in, saying that Katter's behaviour was not "becoming", no matter "who you are or how iconic you think you are".
"I get questions that I don't like to answer. But when you put yourself into the public sphere and you have that privilege of sitting in that great building of parliament facing the most sacred building, you've got to live up to your responsibility," he told ABC radio.
"And I don't think that sort of behaviour is appropriate for a federal member of parliament."
Katter to be 'front and centre' at March for Australia rally
The MP for the Queensland seat of Kennedy had earlier claimed at the Katter's Australian Party press conference that he would be "front and centre" at the rally in Brisbane on Sunday.
The rallies have sparked safety fears for multi-cultural communities amid fears they may be targeted.
The rally in Brisbane will be held on the final weekend of the state's Multicultural Month.
Katter claimed migrants who mostly move to Melbourne and Sydney were not embracing Australian culture.
"I don't care whether you're born here or not, if you have anti-Australian sentiments then get the hell out of my country," he said.
March for Australia anti-migration rallies are set to be held across the country, seeking to "stand for the people, culture, and nation that built Australia."
Organisers have been linked with white nationalist ideas but they have distanced themselves from far-right groups.
Nine Network, Katter demand apology
Bavas later said he was trying to ask about the value migrant Australian families "including the Katters and my own" bring to the nation before he was cut off.
"In my near 20 years in journalism I've never experienced that kind of reaction from an elected representative," he said in a joint statement.
Nine Network stood by Bavas, demanding Katter apologise for his "unacceptable" behaviour.
"His baseless and offensive accusation of racism is an irresponsible attempt to shut down a legitimate line of questioning," Nine Network's Fiona Dear said in the statement.
Katter also demanded an apology, publishing a Facebook post later in the day in which he said: "To be seen as anything other than Australian is highly insulting to me."
