The Indi MP was one of parliamentarians across all sides of politics to denounce the speech by the senator from Katter's Australian Party.

“It just made me so sad that somebody in Parliament, as a leader, thinks that, let alone says it – thinks that people are different because if their colour or their religion,” she said.

“We need to say there’s a line here that you don’t refer to people as different because we’re not, we’re the same.

“God made us all and we all live a life and we all need to work together to make the country work.

“What we’ve got in common is so much greater than our differences.”

But Ms McGowan said she was pleased to see the response from both the government and opposition, saying Senator Anning’s attitudes were not the Australia way.

“I will do everything within my power to say that’s not the Australia I represent, that’s not the Indi I represent,” she said.

“Anyone’s welcome to come to my office and I will represent everybody regardless of their relation or their political creed or whatever they stand for.”