Liberal Senator Eric Abetz Called Justice Clarence Thomas a 'Negro'

Eric Abetz may have lost his job when Tony Abbott lost his, but that doesn't mean he's gone anywhere. The former Minister for Employment and Leader of the Senate is now back in the spotlight for using a racial slur to describe the only black US Supreme Court Judge during a live interview on Thursday.

Abetz had appeared on 2UE radio to defend his opposition on same-sex marriage when he found himself in an argument with host Justin Smith about the ethics of a business owner refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding. Smith compared it to discriminating against Asian people and Abetz wouldn't hear of it.

"These sort of analogies are quite offensive and that sort of analogy was completely debunked by Justice Clarence Thomas, the negro American on the supreme court of the United States dealing with this issue who dissented on the issue of marriage as well. And so trying to bring race into it has now been completely dropped," Abetz said.

Clarence Thomas is the only current black US Supreme Court Justice and possibly one of the most conservative judges ever. He is also one of the most unpopular, as his appointment saw him replace Thurgood Marshall, the first black Supreme Court judge and a prominent figure in the Civil Rights movement. Most recently, Thomas was one of the US judges that dissented in the 5-4 decision legalizing same-sex marriage.

When Smith challenged him over his use of the racial slur, Abetz didn't respond and simply repeated: "Trying to bring race into it has now been completely dropped."

The reaction to Eric's gaff was immediate, with the Sydney Morning Herald reporting that Senator Jacqui Lambie called for Abetz to quit with "whatever dignity he's got left." Yet on the other side of the fence, conservative South Australian Senator Corey Bernardi immediately come to Abetz's defense. "I am sure I am not alone in seeing the irony of Jaquie Lambie lecturing others in dignity and erratic behavior," Bernardi said.

When VICE called the senator's office to get his side, a spokesperson said he was "tied up with commitments in Tasmania for the rest of the day," but also said "nothing's changed in the Senator's view that he would like to continue for preselection and hopes to run at the next election."

It's not the first time Abetz has risked his career and legacy by saying terrible things in live interviews. In 2006 he claimed weeds and bracken pose a greater danger than climate change. More recently, he claimed a "credible link" between abortion and breast cancer and during the European refugee crisis, was one of the Ministers who wanted to prioritize Christian refugees.

As Employment Minister, Abetz was the man behind the effort to force those on welfare to apply for up to 40 jobs a month in order to receive a payment. The plan united welfare recipients and business groups against it. As if that wasn't enough, Abetz also fought a bitter battle to cut the pay of cleaners in parliament house. The cleaners responded by going on strike and refusing to clean toilets and bathrooms in the building.

Same-sex marriage, by far, has been Abetz's biggest battleground and during his time in cabinet he once claimed same-sex marriage was nothing more than a fad that would lead to a "pandora's box" of polyamory. It was also reported that during party-room discussions on whether to vote on the issue, he used fashion designers Dolceand Gabana as a case study for gay men who don't want to marry. Abetz later denied this, clarifying that his argument was the gay community doesn't all "hold the same view."

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