Race discrimination commissioner Tim Soutphommasane has described comments made by Tasmanian Senator Eric Abetz as “disappointing”.

Senator Abetz was involved in a heated debate about marriage equality on Sydney radio station 2UE yesterday when he described United Sates Supreme Court judge Clarence Thomas as a “negro”.

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“Most fair-minded people would recognise that ‘negro’ is an outdated term that is inappropriate and racially loaded,” Mr Soutphommasane said.

The commissioner said the word was a racial slur, even if the senator was not meaning to insult Justice Thomas.

“This is the modern reality of racism,” he said.

“You can cause harm, even if you don’t intend to cause harm or even if you’re not motivated by malice.

“Sometimes racism is the product of ignorance and isn’t necessarily motivated by hatred.”

The Race Commissioner is not alone in his criticism of the senator. Labor Leader Bill Shorten condemned the comments calling Senator Abetz “a dinosaur”.

“Eric Abetz is a dinosaur, he holds the views of a dinosaur,” the Opposition Leader said.

“The ethnic or cultural background of a judge of the American Supreme Court irrelevant to the gentlemen’s judgements.”

Labor’s multicultural spokesperson Michelle Rowland has called on the senator to apologise for using the phrase.

“It’s 2015. At this stage in history, just about every right-minded human recognises that it’s a deeply offensive term,” Ms Rowland said.

“I find it extraordinary that it has been used in 2015, and extraordinary that it has been used by someone that up until very recently, was the leader of the government in the Senate.

“I think Eric Abetz should apologise for the use of that term and Malcolm Turnbull should show some leadership.”

A spokesman for the senator dismissed the criticism.

“The term used by Senator Abetz on 2UE yesterday is the same as was in the last US census by the Obama Administration, by Martin Luther King 15 times in his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech and by Justice Clarence Thomas himself.” Senator Abetz’s spokesman said.

Senator Abetz was the Minister for Employment and the government’s leader in the senate under former Prime Minister Tony Abbott but was relegated to the back bench when Malcolm Turnbull became Prime Minister.

Earlier this week Senator Abetz said his new position on the back bench gave him a new freedom to speak out about important issues.

This week the senator has criticised the media as being a corrosive element in Australian politics and said that reporters should just report the facts without adding commentary. In an earlier interview the senator complained that the media often depict him as being a member of ‘the religious right’, but never refer to his opponents as ‘the godless left’.

Senator Abetz has also spoken out about a suggestion to introduce legislation for a plebiscite on marriage equality during the currently parliamentary term. The idea was put forward by colleague Warren Entsch. Senator Abetz described Mr Entsch suggestion as an ambush against the conservative members of the party.

Fellow Tasmanian senator Jacquie Lambie has suggested that the Prime Minister should keep an eye on the recently dumped Senator. Ms Lambie said Senator Abetz was becoming “erratic”.

Senator Lambie told the Sydney Morning Herald that it was time for the senator head to retirement.

“Eric’s gone from being top of the game to the back, back, backbench” Ms Lambie said.

Ms Lambie said the senator should retire while he still has some dignity and allow the Liberal party to find some fresh blood.

OIP Staff

Updated: 14:30 Comment from Senator Abetz’s spokesperson was added to this story.