Opposition leader Sussan Ley has apologized to Indian Australians about the inflammatory remarks of Jacinta Nampijinpa Price after dismissing the senator from the opposition front bench.
“May I take this opportunity as a leader of the liberal party, to apologize to all Indian Australians and indeed others who were injured and saddened by the comments made,” Ley said at a press conference on Thursday.
“May I confirm my strong support for all our migrant communities for the values they bring to this country, for the contribution they make and to choose to come to Australia.”
Price last week wrongly claimed that the federal government gave the Indian migrants priority to strengthen its voice. She moved to clarify her commentsSaying that she emphasized the general concern for Labor’s “mass migration agenda” and when she was pushed further on this on Wednesday, she said they were “awkward”, but again not apologized. She also refused to endorse Ley’s leadership.
Price said she accepted the decision, and added that she regretted that she was not clearer in the initial comments and that she “never intended to be awaiting our Indian community”.
“My concern is not a migration itself – it’s the size of migration,” said Price.
She said that she would “continue to talk about issues in the national interest” from the back bench.
Ley would not reveal her “private discussions” with the prize on Thursday, but said she remained a “appreciated member” of the liberal party.
“[Price] Has contributed a lot to the public policy and the debate in this country and will continue to do this, “said Ley.
Ley said that a decision about the replacement of Price in the opposition cabinet will be taken in due course.
Price was the opposition spokesperson for the Defense industry to its relegation.
Spokesperson James Paterson of opposition said the Axing was disappointing, but was convinced that his colleague from the Senate would return to a prominent position within the liberal party.
“It was of course not a constructive week for the liberal party and we are worried about the way Indian Australians heard that discussion and found about it,” he told Sky News on Thursday.
“Political careers are no longer linear, they have attacks and starts, forward steps and back steps, and I am convinced that Jacinta will be back in a prominent role in the front bank.”
VICE Popper leader Ted O’Brien said that although Price had the freedom to speak about issues, her comments had to be dealt with and Ley made the right decision.
“Words can sometimes be positive and help someone, or words can hurt, and I think we should all be aware, regardless of what we do in life, to try to choose our words as well as possible.”
– With reporting by the Australian Associated Press.
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