Watchdog says Australia lawmakers increasingly exploit race

Australia's racism watchdog says the country is experiencing a resurgence in lawmakers exploiting race to advance political agendas and listed ethnic Chinese and Sudanese among minorities who are suffering.

Tom Soutphommasane today said in the final speech of his five-year tenure as race discrimination commissioner that as politicians take advantage of voter fears of some ethnic groups, sections of Australian media are exploiting racism to earn revenue from racist audiences.

Conservative government Sen. Eric Abetz said Soutphommasane's speech was an example of him "pushing his ideology at the expense of good public policy."