Labor backbencher Tim Watts raised the issue in caucus, later telling Fairfax Media: "The appropriation of Gough Whitlam's political legacy on the day of his death is nothing short of grave robbing on the part of the Greens." This image, distributed by the Greens, has upset Labor. Mr Whitlam, who was prime minister from 1972 to 1975, died on Tuesday aged 98. Frontbencher Anthony Albanese said it would be like the Labor Party trying to claim former Greens leader Bob Brown as their own. "I think that that is cheap, opportunistic and offensive, given that Gough Whitlam was a Labor man his entire life," Mr Albanese told reporters at Parliament House.

Mr Albanese refused to back Mr Watt's claim that it was 'grave robbing' but said he found it "offensive" and called on the Greens to take the image down. "Just do the right thing, pull it down and admit it was an error of judgement," he said. "They clearly are trying to appropriate Gough Whitlam's legacy for the Greens," he said. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said he has phoned Greens leader Christine Milne and left her a message. "How dare the Greens pretend to be what they are not, I've spoken to Christine Milne, I've asked her to take it down, it's just wrong," he told reporters.

"When Gough was making these changes, the Greens didn't exist." But Greens deputy leader Adam Bandt told Fairfax Media the party had no intention of removing the image. "In many ways, Gough was the author of modern, progressive Australia and the Greens are proud to join the thousands of others paying tribute to him," Mr Band said in a statement. He added that a broad cross-section of Australians are celebrating the Whitlam legacy. Loading

But Nationals MP Darren Chester has defended Labor against the Greens, tweeting: "No surprise that a protest party with no political heroes of its own has tried to steal a piece of Gough's legacy. Beneath contempt." Follow us on Twitter