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Leading Liberals have backed Sussan Ley’s decision to sack Jacinta Nampijinpa Price from the opposition frontbench but senior conservative James Paterson expects the firebrand senator will eventually return to the shadow ministry.
Price held a press conference in Perth on Wednesday where she said her previous comments about Indian immigrants were “clumsy” but did not apologise or declare her support for Ley’s leadership, leading to her sacking hours later.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley (left) sacked firebrand senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price from her frontbench on Thursday.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Deputy Liberal leader Ted O’Brien said on Thursday morning that Ley had made the right decision in sacking Price, saying that the Indian community in Australia “did not ask to be the centre of political dialogue over the last week”.
“Jacinta expressed herself authentically, with deep regret for what her words had meant to a lot of Indian Australians,” O’Brien told ABC News on Thursday. “As time went on, it was very clear that stronger words were called for. Ultimately, a decision has been made by our leader Sussan Ley. It is the right decision and I have to say Jacinta Price has rightly accepted that decision.”
O’Brien said that freedom of expression was a fundamental tenet of the Liberal Party. “We all have to be mindful, no matter what we do in life, to try and choose our words as best as we can, especially those of us who are fortunate enough to be in public life.”
Price told the ABC last week that Labor was bringing migrants to Australia to bolster the party’s vote and gave the Indian community as an example. She criticised Ley’s key ally, Alex Hawke, after he told her to apologise.
Opposition finance spokesperson James Paterson said Price’s position on the opposition frontbench was untenable after she failed to support Ley’s leadership at a press conference in Perth yesterday.
“You are required to support the leader of the parliamentary party, if you are a member of the frontbench, and if you can no longer do that, then you are obliged to leave the frontbench,” the senator told Sky News on Thursday morning.
However, Paterson said he felt “confident” that Price would return, citing her “sincere and genuine” advocacy. “I’m confident that Jacinta will be back in a prominent role in the front bench in due course.” Paterson said.
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Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles said he would not comment on Price’s sacking, saying it was a “matter for the Coalition”. However, he did offer his support to the Indian community who he said make “a huge contribution to Australia today”.
“What makes us a great country is the diversity of people who now live in Australia and the multicultural nature of our country … there’s strength in that diversity,” Marles told ABC News.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley will hold a press conference in Tasmania on Thursday morning.
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