HUMAN Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson has claimed race hate laws are bizarre and unequal.

In an interview with Fairfax, Mr Wilson said that racial discrimination laws are leading to certain racially loaded terms being used within communities without any implication, but are forbidden to be used by outsiders and punished if so. Mr Wilson sees this as uneven and muddying the waters of what’s considered racially offensive.

Asked whether he was referring to the word “nigger”, Mr Wilson said: “I won’t say it, but that’s right.”

Mr Wilson believes that repealing section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, which makes it unlawful to insult people based on their race or ethnicity, would restore “equality” to discrimination laws. By allowing free speech he claims it will actually help cure bigotry.

MORE: Changes to the racial discrimination act explained

“The provisions provide the basis for a good discussion about getting the balance right, and establish the correct test of equality before the law.”

But refining race laws is not as black and white as that.

Australia’s first indigenous female MP, Senator Nova Peris, spoke out in Parliament about how it felt to be called “nigger” by a fellow athlete:

“We have all seen the devastating effect racial abuse has on people. They are not the same. During my sporting career, I did not care if people attacked or criticised me for my performance on the field, but I did care when I was attacked and criticised for the colour of my skin and called a ‘nigger’ by my own Aussie team mate, and I took action against it. Racism hurts”, the former Olympian said.

Federal Attorney-General, George Brandis, who is spearheading the repeal of Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, said this week Australians should have a right to be bigots.

“People do have a right to be bigots you know. In a free country people do have rights to say things that other people find offensive or insulting or bigoted.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this article had a misleading headline, ‘We should be able to say n****’. News.com.au apologises to Mr Wilson for any offence it may have caused.