Shorten says union Nazi comment 'stupid'

Bill Shorten has distanced himself from a union boss comparing the proposed national building code to something out of Nazi Germany.

Labor leader Bill Shorten has described a union boss's comparison of the new building industry rules to Nazi Germany as stupid.

John Setka, from the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union, told a rally in Melbourne on Wednesday the proposed national building code was a "disgrace ... likened to Nazi Germany".

On Thursday, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called on Mr Shorten to disown the "outrageous remark" and said it showed the need for the rule of law to be restored in the construction industry.

Mr Shorten said he did not approve of the comment.

"It's a stupid comment," he told reporters in Darwin on Thursday.

He compared the remark to former prime minister Tony Abbott's claim in parliament in February last year that Labor had caused a "holocaust" of job losses.

"I thought it was stupid when Tony Abbott started using the word holocaust ... it's dumb."

Mr Abbott apologised for the remark.


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Source: AAP



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