Queensland has been likened to Saudi Arabia, with One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts claiming Christians are being persecuted by the government for street preaching.
The senator launched an extraordinary attack on the state Labor government in the Senate on Monday after proposing a debate on the prosecution of Christians in southeast Queensland, claiming the government was pressuring police to persecute Christian street preachers.
He claims street preachers from the organisation Operation 513 are prosecuted for intimidating police by using the word "reverend" and facing fines worth tens of thousands of dollars for having peaceful conversations with members of the public.
"This is a direct and astonishing assault on Christianity. Our world has gone mad," Senator Roberts told parliament.
"Has the Queensland premier prosecuted anyone for the use of the word `imam'? Perhaps `rabbi' offends the extreme left who are now running Queensland.
"The left, peppered with hateful anti-Semites, will soon use this success in Queensland to turn on the Jewish community - I have no doubt."
Senator Roberts urged Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to make a public statement about Australia's Christian heritage and for parliament to protect Christian dignity, insisting preachers were being "hunted down and persecuted everywhere in Australia".
"One would think this is Saudi Arabia, however it is southeast Queensland."
The Palaszczuk government had contempt for the Christian community and used "Gestapo-like tactics" against them, "yet vicious sects with violent views and threats are left unpunished for far worse crimes".
"Heaven forbid a unionist or a Muslim in this country ever be brought to heel within the bounds of the law," he said.
Labor's Anthony Chisholm said there were reports the preachers had been harassing people and telling schoolies on the Gold Coast they would go to hell for being drunk, being Muslim and having sex outside of marriage.
Greens senators said the group was homophobic and known for preaching intolerance and bigotry.
The Queensland District Court in February dismissed an appeal by Operation 513 preacher Ryan Hemelaar after he was fined $3000 for preaching in the Queen Street Mall without consent.
