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A Labor frontbencher has likened the Prime Minister's reaction to protests in Melbourne to how Donald Trump behaved after violent protests in the US city of Charlottesville in 2017.
- Ed Husic says Scott Morrison should have more strongly condemned the protesters
- Mr Morrison said the threats voiced by protesters over the weekend had no place in Australia
- But he said he understood people's frustrations were drive by governments telling people what to do in the pandemic
The former US president said there was violence and "blame on both sides" of the conflict — which was sparked by a white supremacist rally in the town.
He later also said there were "very fine people on both sides".
Mr Trump was condemned for the comments, which were seen as spreading the blame equally between white supremacist and far-right groups, and the counter protesters.
On Thursday, Labor MP Ed Husic drew a comparison between Mr Trump's inflammatory comments and Scott Morrison's condemnation of protests in Melbourne over the weekend.
Protesters against a pandemic management bill in Victoria were seen marching through Melbourne carrying nooses and a gallows, with some chanting threats to kill Premier Daniel Andrews.
The Prime Minister condemned the "threats and intimidation", but said that he understood why some people were frustrated.
He also later shared a video on his Facebook page where he cut out his condemnation of the threats of violence.
Mr Husic said stronger condemnation was needed.
"I'm frankly stunned that it took days for this to happen.
"He was called on today to exercise national leadership to say to the country 'we will not tolerate this type of behaviour being directed in this way to our democracy' and it seems, like with Trump, Scott Morrison doesn't want to upset violent extremists."
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It is not the first time Labor has drawn comparisons between the Prime Minister and the former president.
Earlier this month, Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said Mr Morrison's behaviour during the fallout of the French submarine deal was similar to that of Mr Trump's.
"This is all about his character, which is actually the issue on display," she said.
"You don't make a country more secure by demonstrating that you're prepared to damage, at any cost, partnerships and alliances and we've seen a leader who did that, and that person was Donald Trump."
When asked whether she was comparing Mr Morrison with Mr Trump, Senator Wong replied:
"I am simply saying that we have seen in recent times a leader who was prepared to damage and we are seeing Mr Morrison being prepared to damage relationships."
The Prime Minister's Office declined to comment.