Australia's democracy has become more fragile because of the normalisation of hate speech and extremist views in parliament, senior Labor figure Penny Wong says.
Senator Wong will on Friday deliver a speech in honour of being named the McKinnon Political Leader of the Year for promoting a more tolerant and inclusive Australia.
"Racism is not only unethical, it is antithetical to the values which underpin democracy," she will say in Melbourne.
"Hate speech is inimical to democracy, it must not be normalised, it cannot be defended on grounds of freedom of speech because it inflicts real and direct harm."
The Labor Senate leader heavily rewrote her speech after the Christchurch massacre a fortnight ago, where 50 people died after a lone shooter attacked two mosques.
Politicians from all sides must stand together against ideologies of hate and prejudice, the senator will say.
Her speech warns of how competing ideas can morph into hyper-partisanship and deep polarisation, shutting down rational discussion and placing stress on democracy.
"A robust Australian democracy is not fundamental to the country we cherish, it is a necessary prerequisite to our ability to advance our interests and advocate our values internationally," Senator Wong will say.
"Our weight amongst nations is greatest if we can truly reflect who we are - an inclusive, independent, multicultural nation confident of our identity and of our place in the world."
Senator Wong flags inequality, disrespect and disengagement as drivers to the public losing confidence in the political system.
Leaders must tackle those issues to make democracy work better, she will say.
