A Liberal senator has apologised for offending the Jewish community by drawing a comparison between the lobby group GetUp! and the Hitler Youth.

Senator Ian Macdonald made the comparison today in the Senate, referring to GetUp! as the "Hitler Youth wing of the Greens political movement".

Senator Ian Macdonald: 'I want to take this opportunity to unreservedly apologise for any offence taken by the remarks to the Jewish community.' Credit:Andrew Taylor

His interjection came as Labor moved to curtail the debate on the carbon tax and force a vote on its clean energy bills package next Tuesday.

The coalition claimed the Greens and GetUp! knew about the move ahead of senators.