Sussan Ley Issues Dramatic Apology for Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s Racist Slur Against Indian Migrants: ‘I’m Sorry for the Pain Caused’
- Opposition Leader Sussan Ley finally apologises for Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s inflammatory comments that left Indian Australians “hurt and distressed”
- Senate dumps Price from frontbench after she refused to back Ley as opposition leader, causing a major rift within the Liberal Party
- Party allies support Ley’s decision, saying Price’s behaviour was “disappointing” and “clumsy”, but predict she will return to a prominent role in the future
In a desperate bid to stem the bleeding, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has issued a heartfelt apology to Indian Australians for the hurtful comments made by dumped Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. The apology comes eight days after Price’s remarks sparked outrage within the Indian community and the Coalition itself.
“May I take this opportunity, as leader of the Liberal Party, to apologise to all Indian Australians and indeed others who were hurt and distressed by the comments that were made,” Ley said in a statement. “Comments that I said at the time should not have been made.”
Last Wednesday, Price ignited a firestorm when she suggested the government was favouring Indian migrants to boost Labor’s vote. The comments were roundly condemned by Indian community groups and the Coalition, but Price refused to back down, leading to her eventual sacking from the frontbench.
In a hastily arranged press conference, Price again refused to apologise for her remarks and failed to back Ley as opposition leader, saying it was a “matter for our party room”. The move was seen as a direct challenge to Ley’s authority, and she was ultimately dumped from the frontbench.
Liberal allies of Price, including Shadow Finance Minister James Paterson, have backed Ley’s decision, saying it was necessary to move on from the “disappointing” episode. “I support Sussan Ley, I support her as our leader,” Paterson said. “I am very disappointed that this is where we have found ourselves because Jacinta is also a very good friend of mine, and I think she had a very big contribution to make on the frontbench.”
Despite the backlash, Price remains defiant, refusing to apologise for her remarks but saying she regrets the “clumsy” way she expressed her concerns about “mass migration”. Her Liberal Party allies predict she will return to a prominent role in the future.