Both houses of the Federal Parliament have widely condemned Queensland senator Fraser Anning for advocating a return to the White Australia policy and using a Nazi phrase, but he is unapologetic.

Key points: Fraser Anning used his maiden speech to call for a complete overhaul of the immigration system and a ban on Muslim immigration

Fraser Anning used his maiden speech to call for a complete overhaul of the immigration system and a ban on Muslim immigration He denies the phrase "final solution" was made in reference to Nazi Germany's annihilation of Jewish people

He denies the phrase "final solution" was made in reference to Nazi Germany's annihilation of Jewish people Malcolm Turnbull, Josh Frydenberg, Derryn Hinch, Tony Burke and politicians across the divide have criticised the speech

Senator Anning used his maiden speech last night to call for a complete overhaul of the immigration system, insisting most migrants should be from a European Christian background and all Muslims should be banned.

In that speech he used the phrase "final solution", the same phrase used by the Nazis under Adolf Hitler that meant annihilating Jewish people from Europe.

Senator Anning called for a national vote on who should be allowed to enter the country.

"The final solution to the immigration problem is of course a popular vote," he told Parliament.

It has been strongly criticised by politicians from across the divide in both chambers, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull describing the "final solution" comment as a "shocking insult" to those who died in the Holocaust.

But Senator Anning is unmoved and his party leader Bob Katter has called the speech "magnificent" and "solid gold".

Mr Katter said he discussed the speech with Senator Anning before he delivered it.

"His speech was absolutely magnificent and it's everything that this country should be doing."

Sorry, this video has expired Bob Katter says Fraser Anning's speech was 'solid gold'

When challenged this morning on the use of the term Senator Anning told Channel Nine he "didn't even think about that funnily enough".

"I know that [Coalition frontbencher Josh Frydenberg] earlier on had a go at me on that but the fact is all I said was the final solution to the immigration problem is a vote of the Australian people," Senator Anning said.

"That has nothing to do with 'the final solution', the thought police got onto that.

"Good men died for our right to say whatever we wanted to say and use whatever words we want to use. If people want to take it of context that is entirely up to them.

"It was never meant to denigrate the Jewish community, it is two words and if that offends anyone unfortunately that is the way it has to be.

"I don't regret anything, I am not going to apologise or regret anything that I say."

Senator Anning said he did not think about the phrase "final solution" before using it. ( ABC News: Adam Kennedy )

Parliament stops short of censuring Anning's comments

The Greens moved a motion in the Upper House to censure Senator Anning over his comments, but it did not get enough support to pass.

The Senate did, however, pass a motion recognising the merits of immigration and multiculturalism, and a similar motion was moved in the House of Representatives.

Labor's leader in the Senate, Penny Wong, said it was important to deal with Senator Anning's remarks by "asserting acceptance and tolerance" instead of allowing any opportunity for him to be painted as a victim of censure.

"The best way to deal with people going low is to go high and, today, I think this is a chamber in the Parliament of which Australians can be proud."

Senator Anning's comments have been labelled as appalling and disgusting. ( ABC News: Adam Kennedy )

Many MPs and senators spoke during the debate over those motions, in shared condemnation of Senator Anning's speech.

The Prime Minister rejected Senator Anning's repeated references to Islamic terrorism as a reason to end Muslim migration.

"The vast majority of the victims of Islamist terrorism are Muslims," Mr Turnbull said.

"Let's be quite clear: those who seek to demonise all Muslims on the basis of the crimes of a tiny minority are helping the terrorists.

"I say this as Prime Minister, whose most solemn responsibility is to keep Australians safe."

Members of many faiths support Australia's multiculturalism

Cabinet Minister Josh Frydenberg had relatives who went through the Holocaust and this morning slammed the words as ignorant, insensitive, divisive and hurtful.

"The Nazi war machine was responsible for the deaths of more than 10 million innocent lives including 6 million Jews and 1.5 million children," Mr Frydenberg said.

Mr Frydenberg said he "didn't buy" Senator Anning's suggestion he didn't connect the phrase "final solution" with Nazi Germany. ( ABC News: Adam Kennedy )

Labor frontbencher Ed Husic added his comments to the debate, saying it was Australia's multiculturalism that made it so successful.

The Muslim MP paid special tribute to his Jewish friend Mr Frydenberg, a man on the opposite side of the chamber with whom he said he was "joined at the unhip".

"We are from different parties, from different parts of the country and from different faiths, but actions matter more in terms of being able to find common ground," Mr Husic said.

"In my contribution today, we can focus on the people that are trying to divide us or focus more on the things that bring us together as a country. This is a moment that is supposed to do just that."

Sorry, this video has expired Ed Husic calls for unity amid Fraser Anning backlash

Labor MP Anne Aly, who is a Muslim, broke down as she spoke during a motion supporting Australia's non-discriminatory immigration policy.

Ms Aly told Parliament she was proud of the response from all sides of politics against Senator Anning's speech.

But she said she was sick of being forced to defend multiculturalism.

"I'm tired of fighting, I'm tired of having to stand up against hate, against vilification, time and time and time again," Ms Aly said.

Sorry, this video has expired Anne Aly was moved to tears during discussion in the House of Representatives.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton told Parliament he strongly supported the motion moved by Labor to condemn racism.

"All of us unite together to fight against the scourge of racism," he said.

Shadow Multicultural Minister Tony Burke also gave a passionate speech in response to Senator Anning.

"There has to be a point when this Parliament says enough, and if we haven't reached that point tonight then for some of us there is apparently no limit at all," he said.

'It was Pauline Hanson on steroids': Hinch

Senator Anning joined Parliament last year as a One Nation senator but has since defected to Katter's Australian Party.

Crossbench senator Derryn Hinch was sitting in the Upper House listening to the speech and said it was excruciating.

"It was Pauline Hanson on steroids," he told the ABC's AM program.

"There was hardly a group of Australians he did not offend unless you were close to being a member of the Ku Klux Klan."

He later told the Senate he deeply regretted shaking Senator Anning's hand after he gave the speech last night.

He said he followed protocol "and shook this unworthy man's hand I then went home and washed my own".

Senator Hinch called it one of the most "disgraceful, racist, homophobic, divisive, misogynist, spiteful hateful speeches" he had ever heard.

Senator Hanson said she was offended by Senator Hinch's comparison between her and Senator Anning. ( ABC News: Adam Kennedy )

Senator Hanson took offence at the comparison made by Senator Hinch, and said she did not support Senator Anning's comments.

"I am appalled by Fraser Anning's speech," she said.

She was not in the Upper House when Senator Anning gave the speech last night and criticised the senators who were there and chose to shake his hand.

"How gutless are members in this Parliament? The fact is if you were so appalled you should have got up and walked out of the place," Senator Hanson said.