QUEENSLAND MP George Christensen has received a death threat over a controversial tweet he made yesterday.

Twitter users were incensed when the LNP member for Dawson tweeted that people complaining about the federal budget should get some perspective by touring Asia.

He posted a photo of a shirtless, impoverished child in a rubbish-filled alleyway to underline his point. Here’s the original Tweet:

Aussies should do tour of Asia & live like locals to put these 1st world complaints re budget in perspective #auspol pic.twitter.com/FR4MvkxxI1 — George Christensen (@GChristensenMP) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: Aussies should do tour of Asia & live like locals to put these 1st world complaints re budget in perspective #auspol pic.twitter.com/FR4MvkxxI1— George Christensen (@GChristensenMP) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: Aussies should do tour of Asia & live like locals to put these 1st world complaints re budget in perspective #auspol pic.twitter.com/FR4MvkxxI1— George Christensen (@GChristensenMP) May 22, 2014

But the debate has turned toxic.

Earlier this morning, Mr Christensen posted on his Facebook a threatening email he had received.

“Just remember a***wipe, those Asian countries also have a high number of MP (sic) that are assassinated. Aussies have GUNS .. just remember that! You have become a MARK!”

The email was sent with a graphic photograph of a bloodied man lying dead on the ground.

Mr Christensen pointed the finger at Opposition Leader Bill Shorten for raising the temperature of the budget debate.

“Shorten needs to tone down his calls for public anger on the budget lest this becomes a reality,” Mr Christensen wrote on Facebook.

The shocking email follows a tirade of complaint from Twitter users yesterday — including Greens MP Adam Bandt and Labor’s Tony Burke — slamming Mr Christensen’s original tweet.

He copped even more criticism later in the afternoon when he tweeted again in defence of his earlier comment, saying “Sometimes the truth hurts”.

And the lefty twitter warriors have gone into meltdown at my tweet re first world budget complaints. Sometimes truth hurts. — George Christensen (@GChristensenMP) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: And the lefty twitter warriors have gone into meltdown at my tweet re first world budget complaints. Sometimes truth hurts.— George Christensen (@GChristensenMP) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: And the lefty twitter warriors have gone into meltdown at my tweet re first world budget complaints. Sometimes truth hurts.— George Christensen (@GChristensenMP) May 22, 2014

Cue more angry reactions on Twitter.

.@GChristensenMP here's some truth: Publicly implying Asian countries are worse than ours is bad for foreign relations. — Timothy Zeven (@Zevensoft) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: .@GChristensenMP here's some truth: Publicly implying Asian countries are worse than ours is bad for foreign relations.— Timothy Zeven (@Zevensoft) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: .@GChristensenMP here's some truth: Publicly implying Asian countries are worse than ours is bad for foreign relations.— Timothy Zeven (@Zevensoft) May 22, 2014

.@GChristensenMP - I challenge you to live on a pensioners income for 6 months - but I bet you won't. #auspol — Sir phonytonyabbott (@phonytonyabbott) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: .@GChristensenMP — I challenge you to live on a pensioners income for 6 months — but I bet you won't. #auspol— Sir phonytonyabbott (@phonytonyabbott) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: .@GChristensenMP — I challenge you to live on a pensioners income for 6 months — but I bet you won't. #auspol— Sir phonytonyabbott (@phonytonyabbott) May 22, 2014

@GChristensenMP How did you ever get to be an MP with appalling lack of evidence based policy and communication skills? — Mensch (@FPsych) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: @GChristensenMP How did you ever get to be an MP with appalling lack of evidence based policy and communication skills?— Mensch (@FPsych) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: @GChristensenMP How did you ever get to be an MP with appalling lack of evidence based policy and communication skills?— Mensch (@FPsych) May 22, 2014

Not all of the comments were critical, with some tweeting in support of Mr Christensen’s stance.

@GChristensenMP I'm with you on this one George. We have it so good here compared to most parts of the world. — Elizabeth Rose (@elizabethrosie) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: @GChristensenMP I'm with you on this one George. We have it so good here compared to most parts of the world.— Elizabeth Rose (@elizabethrosie) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: @GChristensenMP I'm with you on this one George. We have it so good here compared to most parts of the world.— Elizabeth Rose (@elizabethrosie) May 22, 2014

@Qld_Mythbuster @GChristensenMP And congrats George for stating the bare truth. Most Aussies are whingers and spoilt — Kwai Loh (@duajuta) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: @Qld_Mythbuster @GChristensenMP And congrats George for stating the bare truth. Most Aussies are whingers and spoilt— Kwai Loh (@duajuta) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: @Qld_Mythbuster @GChristensenMP And congrats George for stating the bare truth. Most Aussies are whingers and spoilt— Kwai Loh (@duajuta) May 22, 2014

The comments come on the back of the Abbott Government’s unpopular budget, which will slash Australia’s foreign aid contributions by $7.6 billion over five years.