Jacinta Refuses to Apologise After Indian Migrant Remarks

The chances of Jacinta Nampijinpa Price fading quietly into the background appear slim, as the embattled Liberal senator defiantly vowed to keep championing causes she says matter to “millions of Australians” — even after being removed from the shadow ministry by Sussan Ley.

The dramatic sacking on Wednesday night capped a chaotic week for the Liberal Party. Senator Nampijinpa Price falsely claimed that Australian Labor Party was deliberately importing migrants — singling out the Indian community — to secure votes. Despite mounting pressure, she repeatedly refused to apologise for the remarks that sparked widespread anger, particularly among Australians of Indian heritage.

“Despite being given sufficient time and space to do so, Senator Nampijinpa Price failed to apologise for remarks which have caused Australians of Indian heritage significant hurt,” Opposition Leader Ley said in a formal statement. “She also refused to provide confidence in my leadership of the Liberal Party of Australia, and sadly, that has made her position untenable in my shadow ministry. The Liberal Party I lead will respect, reflect and represent modern Australia.”

Jacinta Price Accepts Sacking but Refuses to Back Down

In her own statement, Senator Nampijinpa Price said she accepted Ms Ley’s decision and expressed “regret in not being clearer” in her earlier comments on Australian Broadcasting Corporation. However, she made it clear her outspoken approach would not change.

“I will continue raising issues which are in the national interest and important to millions of Australians,” she declared. “Be that on Indigenous issues — the plight of those in remote communities, the romanticisation of traditional culture that inhibits addressing the root causes of Indigenous violence, the ineffectiveness of bloated bureaucracies that have done nothing to ‘close the gap,’ and the need to push back against activists who march on with segregation and reparations under the guise of ‘truth-telling.’”

Her comments came even as the Yoorrook Justice Commission — the nation’s first truth-telling body — paved the way for Treaty legislation in Victoria, moves widely supported among Indigenous communities but derided by conservatives as “so-called truth-telling.”

Liberals Scramble to Contain Fallout

The controversy has forced the Liberal Party into damage control mode. Many MPs have distanced themselves from Senator Nampijinpa Price’s remarks, which drew outrage from the Indian community, while others called on her to apologise. For Ley, the episode complicates her effort to rebuild trust with multicultural communities and move the party away from the anti-immigration rhetoric associated with former leader Peter Dutton.

On Thursday, Ley apologised directly to the Indian community during a press conference in Hobart. “May I take this opportunity, as leader of the Liberal Party, to apologise to all Indian Australians and others who were hurt and distressed by the comments that were made,” she said. “May I reaffirm my strong support for all our migrant communities, for the values they bring and the contributions they make.”

Liberal frontbencher Julian Leeser also issued an apology on social media, while Bridget McKenzie said Nampijinpa Price should do the “appropriate, responsible thing” and apologise. Meanwhile, Dave Sharma, who has Indian heritage, bluntly suggested she resign: “What are you doing in the shadow ministry if you don’t support the leader’s direction?”

Jacinta: Poll Dispute Fuels Internal Rifts

Senator Nampijinpa Price had sought to justify her comments by citing polling from RedBridge, led by former Labor strategist Kos Samaras. She claimed 85% of voters of Indian ancestry supported Labor. But senior Liberal Alex Hawke privately urged colleagues to challenge the polling’s accuracy, while Samaras clarified the figure varies by electorate and can be as low as 60%.

The dispute escalated when Nampijinpa Price accused Hawke of “cowardly and inappropriate” behaviour and openly questioned Ley’s leadership. At a fiery press conference on Wednesday, she refused multiple times to affirm her support for Ley and again declined to apologise to the Indian community — prompting Sharma’s call for her resignation.

A Polarising Figure

Senator Nampijinpa Price has long been a lightning rod in Australian politics. She campaigned vigorously against the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum and frequently attacks the Albanese government on Indigenous policy. Backed strongly by former prime minister Tony Abbott and grassroots conservatives, she remains a favourite guest on Sky News Australia and is considered a rising star among the party’s right faction.

However, her string of controversies — from wearing a Donald Trump MAGA hat to calling to “make Australia great again” — and now the Indian migration row, risk tarnishing her broader public image. Still, some conservatives believe she could return to the inner ministry if Ley is toppled as leader. At 44, she is viewed as having a long political future ahead.

Also Read : Piyush Goyal on US Tariffs: Only 1% of GDP Affected