COMMENT

Tony Abbott has broken free, thrown off the leash, given himself licence to outrage.

It’s come after years of uncharacteristic restraint – which largely meant watching his tongue.

No more. And in question time on Thursday, he reached new depths of outrage by calling Bill Shorten the “Dr Goebbels of economic policy”.

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His meaning was clear – Mr Shorten on economic policy was as truthful as the Nazi propaganda chief.

Mr Abbott appeared to realise immediately that he’d let his tongue run ahead of his brain.

“I withdraw,” he said, spreading his arms wide as Labor indignation erupted.

Mark Dreyfus, who is Jewish, called him a disgusting man and was kicked out, despite Labor pleas for clemency. Michael Danby, also Jewish, walked out in solidarity.

Labor frontbencher Mark Dreyfus was kicked out by Speaker Bronwyn Bishop. Photo: AAP

Mr Abbott’s loose tongue is becoming a problem for him.

In February he warned – to the indignation of the Jewish community and many more beside – of a “holocaust of job losses” under Labor. Holocaust isn’t a word to be bandied about.

Then he enraged close to every indigenous group in the country by describing life in remote communities as “lifestyle choices”.

The Goebbels jibe was probably worse than the holocaust reference.

Goebbels, Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, to give him his full title, probably did more than any other single person to whip up murderous anti-Semitism.

On the other hand, as Christopher Pyne was quick to remind everyone, there was a whiff of hypocrisy in Mr Dreyfus’ indignation. Back when Labor was in government he’d made a Goebbels reference when criticising Mr Abbott’s campaign against the carbon tax.

But that won’t be remembered; Mr Abbott’s blunder will be.

And the silly thing is, it was totally unnecessary. He seemed to be handling Mr Shorten’s attacks over economic policy with comfort.

One effective riposte was to describe Labor as “wreckers in government, saboteurs in opposition”.

Labor will be encouraged by the brain-snap.

The Goebbels insult suggests that it isn’t hard to rile Mr Abbott – and when he’s riled his natural aggression takes over. Labor will be doing its best to encourage more lapses.

Stand by for Operation Wind-up Abbott.

-AAP