A Labor frontbencher has taken the Cambodian prime minister to task over his threat to beat up protesters if they burn effigies of him at a summit of Southeast Asian leaders in Sydney next month.
Hundreds of Cambodians living in Australia are expected to rally against Hun Sen when he attends the Australia-Association of South East Asian Nations summit in mid-March.
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said Cambodian-Australians will not be intimidated, bullied and harassed for peacefully protesting.
"Even if he's prime minister, he will not come to our country and behave like that," Mr Bowen told the lower house.
"(The Cambodian community) need to know this parliament won't put up with that sort of language from anybody even if they are head of another government."
Cambodia's democracy is under attack, with the country's Supreme Court dissolving the Cambodia National Rescue Party last year and jailing opposition leader Kem Sokha.
The opposition had been poised to strongly challenge the 33-year rule of Hun Sen at the July election.
