Global politics has reached a turning point, with racism and inequality the common threads, Australian Greens Leader Richard Di Natale says.
In a speech to his party's national conference on Saturday, the Victorian senator refleced on the election of Donald Trump in the United States, Brexit, the re-emergence of European nationalist movements and One Nation in Australia.
"We are at a turning point in global politics and how we respond will determine the future of this country," he told the conference.
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"I strongly believe that the two common threads, the two major factors contributing to these seismic shifts, are racism and inequality.
"When Donald Trump can accuse Mexicans of being rapists and murderers, call for a ban on all Muslim immigration and have the Klu Klux Klan spruiking for him on the campaign trail and get elected, you know that race is a factor.
"Race is and always has been a powerful motivator."
Senator Di Natale said the role of inequality was just as important and when race and inequality collided, it offered a potent political weapon.
"If you'd told me a year ago that the government would try again to weaken the racial discrimination act, after uniting multicultural Australia against them, I'd say you were dreaming," he said.
"But it seems the lesson for the Liberals from recent events is that the politics of race, fear and division is a powerful bludgeon to be wielded indiscriminately on multicultural Australia.
"How else do we explain (Immigration Minister) Peter Dutton's disgraceful, calculated and divisive attack on Lebanese Muslims?"
Senator Di Natale said the Greens would fight to establish an anti-corruption watchdog and put an end to the influence of political donations, to put a stop to war and consider changing its illicit drugs policy for a "more sensible" harm reduction approach including pill testing and safe injecting centres.
