Nazi comment brings apology calls from Labor and Liberals

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton and Labor's immigration spokesman Richard Marles have called on each other to apologise over a reference to Nazi Germany from the immigration department.

Department boss Michael Pezzullo dismissed as highly offensive, unwarranted and wrong claims from critics that likened detention centres to gulags and suggestions of public indifference similar to that "allegedly experienced in Nazi Germany".

The use of the word "allegedly" raised eyebrows across social media.

The department later said it had been "wilfully taken out of context".

"Any insinuation the department denies the atrocities committed in Nazi Germany are both ridiculous and baseless," it said in a statement.

Mr Marles said the department had turned a simple mistake into a "great error of judgment".

Its "laboured attempt" to explain the language had compounded the original mistake.

"The minister Peter Dutton has to come out today and clearly withdraw these words and apologise," Mr Marles told reporters.

"The reputation of the department is at stake, indeed the reputation of Australia is at stake."

But Mr Dutton accused Mr Marles of seeking to twist Mr Pezzullo's remarks.

"Any suggestion that Mr Pezzullo deliberately sought to deny or qualify the crimes of the Nazi era is patently ludicrous," Mr Dutton said in a statement.

He said Mr Marles should apologise to Mr Pezzullo and staff of the department and Australian Border Force for impugning their integrity.