A mural of Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk holding a gun to the head of the animated fish Nemo has been painted on the wall outside a Greens candidate’s office to protest the Adani coal mine.

Scott Marsh depicted Labor Premier Palaszczuk as a “reef killer” in a mural outside Brisbane Central candidate Kirsten Lovejoy’s office.

Ms Lovejoy told The New Daily she did not commission the piece on the external wall of her office space on Brunswick Street in New Farm.

She said she has respect for Mr Marsh’s message, but does not support the “violent imagery”.

“I am a huge supporter of street art and have incredible respect for world acclaimed artist Scott Marsh and his core message, however, I don’t support violence or violent imagery,” Ms Lovejoy wrote on Facebook.

The Greens candidate said she was “incredibly conflicted” by the mural.

“However, to take down this artwork now could be seen as an act of censorship in a community that is actively debating this incredibly important issue, so I will respect the artist’s powerful message and leave it there for the moment.”

Annastacia Palaszczuk depicted as a “reef killer” over the Adani coal mine. Source: Queensland Greens

Ms Lovejoy said she was not surprised Labor was sensitive on the issue of the Adani coal mine, after Brisbane Central MP Grace Grace slammed the mural and called on the state Greens to paint over it.

“It would be nice to see Grace Grace spend more time opposing this project within her own party rather than advocating cultural and political censorship,” Ms Lovejoy said.

“The last thing people want politicians to do is to get involved in political and cultural censorship.

“Honestly this is why people don’t trust Labor or the LNP to represent us anymore. They get more angry about a piece of street art then whether our children will have homes to live in or sustainable jobs. They’re about to allow $1 billion in taxpayers’ money to be handed over to Adani yet they’re writing press releases about graffiti. And they wonder why people are disengaging from politics.”

Mr Marsh said nobody commissioned the piece.

“The mural was one of a number of concepts I had been wanting to paint in Queensland in relation the the proposed Adani mine. I have been waiting for a free block of time to get up there and paint it for a few months,” he told The New Daily.

He said support for the coal mine was “mind-blowingly short sighted”.

“The Australian public are rightfully pissed off about the prospect of this mine and its impact on an already struggling Great Barrier Reef, the response has been reflective of that. If this mural can help keep conversation alive then I’m stoked.”

On Instagram, Mr Marsh wrote: “@AnnastaciaMP going above and beyond to ensure that Adani Carmichael coal mine puts a bullet in the back of Nemo’s head. If you’re serious about Queensland job, defend those 69,000 created by the #GreatBarrierReef.”

On Tuesday night, the Queensland government came to an agreement with Adani for a royalties arrangement over the coal mine.

Mr Marsh has previously painted a mural of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull with Fat Tony, a character from The Simpsons.

The New Daily has contacted Annastacia Palaszczuk for comment.