George Christensen blames Bill Shorten after receiving death threat

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/23/george-christensen-shorten-death-threat

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Federal MP George Christensen says opposition leader Bill Shorten is "fanning” violence after he reported an emailed death threat to police.

Christensen went to police on Friday over the death threat he received after telling people who are complaining about the budget to try living like poor Asians.

The anonymous email warned Christensen that MPs in Asian countries are assassinated and it was accompanied by a photo of a man whose head had been blown off, he said.

A spokeswoman for Shorten described Christensen’s remark on Twitter as a "disgusting new low" for the Liberal party.

I received a death threat in relation to my comments re budget. This is where public discourse has sunk. Shorten is fanning this violence.

"If the prime minister has any sense, he'd instruct George Christensen to apologise for this offensive and irresponsible statement," she said.

"There is a right way and a wrong way to protest this unfair budget - making threats like this is never acceptable."

The email landed in the National party MP's inbox after he used Twitter on Thursday to rebuke Australians angry about the federal government's tough budget measures.

"Aussies should do a tour of Asia & live like locals to put these 1st world complaints re budget in perspective," Christensen tweeted, attaching a picture of impoverished Asian children in a slum for added effect.

Aussies should do tour of Asia & live like locals to put these 1st world complaints re budget in perspective #auspol pic.twitter.com/FR4MvkxxI1

Christensen said he was surprised his comments attracted a death threat serious enough to report to police.

"It's probably the most confronting email I've ever received," the member for Dawson told AAP.

"You receive nasty emails (as an MP)... I have a thick enough skin for that but I don't have a thick enough skin to stop a bullet from going through my head."

Christensen said anger about the budget was unwarranted, and debate about it needed to be brought down to a "sensible level".

"I think everyone needs to take a deep breath and calm down about it," he said.