Tony Abbott labels Bill Shorten the 'Dr Goebbels of economic policy'

A few weeks ago it was the Holocaust, and now Tony Abbott has used another reference to Nazi Germany during a parliamentary attack on Labor.

The prime minister labelled Opposition Leader Bill Shorten the "Dr Goebbels of economic policy", likening him to Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi minister for propaganda.

Mr Abbott immediately withdrew the remark, but not before opposition MPs erupted in anger.

During a rowdy exchange, Speaker Bronwyn Bishop suspended shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus from the chamber.

When Labor pleaded for his reprieve, government leader of the house Christopher Pyne reminded Ms Bishop that Mr Dreyfus had made a similar Goebbels reference when criticising Mr Abbott's anti-carbon tax campaign in 2011.

Mrs Bishop ignored their calls and Mr Dreyfus wasn't reinstated.

Mr Dreyfus is one of three Jewish members of Parliament.

His father George came to Australia as a refugee from Nazi Germany in 1938.