Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has launched a passionate defence of new senator Jim Molan who's facing accusations of racism.
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The retired major-general and now NSW Liberal senator shared videos by far-right UK group Britain First on Facebook in March last year which purport to show Muslim violence in Europe.
Senator Molan, who led coalition forces in Iraq in 2014, told parliament on Monday he was not racist or anti-Islam and had shared the videos because he was against violence and anti-social behaviour.
Labor leader Bill Shorten asked the prime minister in Tuesday's question time whether he would direct Senator Molan to take down the material.
Mr Turnbull said describing Senator Molan as racist was deplorable and disgusting.
"He has stood up for our values, put his life on the line, led our troops and our allies' troops in conflict," the prime minister told parliament.
"Jim Molan is a great Australian soldier. We are lucky to have him in the Senate. He doesn't have a racist bone in his body. He has stood up for freedom, stood up against extremism."
Greens leader Richard Di Natale asked Defence Minister Marise Payne in parliament whether she was concerned the former major-general's views influenced his approach to the military campaign in the Iraqi city of Fallujah 14 years ago.
"That reflection on the service of a senior Australian Army officer takes your lows to depths that I did not think you could plumb," Senator Payne said in response.
The Fallujah campaign was heavily criticised for its indifference to civilians.
Senator Molan rejected suggestions he was a war criminal.
"Absolutely not, every activity I conducted in Iraq in a vicious, nasty war, was in accordance with the laws of armed conflict," he told Sky News, adding he had given a detailed account of the fighting in his best selling book.
He described his first two days in the Senate as a "baptism of fire".
Last month, US President Donald Trump apologised for retweeting Britain First videos, claiming he didn't know who the group was.
Senator Molan said he had shared the clips long before Mr Trump had brought the group to the world's attention.
