Jacinta Price goes nuclear on senior Liberal colleague after Indian migrant comment sparked backlash
Embattled senator Jacinta Price has called out a fellow senior Liberal Party member for his ‘cowardly’ response to her controversial comments.
Price faced backlash earlier this week after accusing Labor of prioritising Indian migrants to help boost its vote.
In the days after her comment, former immigration minister Alex Hawke, whose electorate has a large Indian community, told Sky News he’d urged Price to clarify her meaning on social media.
However, Price on Sunday turned the finger back on Hawke for failing to contact her and ‘berating’ her staff.
‘Let me be absolutely clear: Alex Hawke did not call me, text me, or WhatsApp me at that point,’ she said.
‘What actually happened is that Alex Hawke first rang my office – not my direct number – the following morning, on Thursday.
‘After claiming he couldn’t reach me, he chose instead to berate one of my staff.’
Price then claimed the communication from Hawke was part of a broader problem within the Liberal Party.
Jacinta Price (pictured) slammed fellow Liberal Party member Alex Hawke for allegedly ‘berating’ her staff
‘He even pressed my staff that if I did not comply with his requests, I may end up like another female member of the Coalition – who I won’t name,’ she said.
‘Later that day, I sent him a WhatsApp message to call out his cowardly and inappropriate conduct.
‘Only after that message did Alex Hawke and I speak on Thursday evening.
‘If people want to talk about a so-called “woman problem” in the Liberal Party, then it’s this: we don’t stand up for women when they are mistreated by our own colleagues.’
Hawke shared his own statement, which confirmed he spoke with Price and ‘accepted her explanation of how her comments have been misinterpreted and subsequently weaponised by Labor’.
However, he added, ‘any reasonable person must reject the targeting of Indian Australians’.
‘I support her ongoing work to clarify the comments she made last week and helping return this debate to the issue of overall migration levels and having a sustainable migration program,’ Hawke said.
While Price didn’t apologise for saying the Labor Party ‘likes to allow those (people) in … who ultimately vote for them’, she explained the comment in her statement.
Price faced backlash after accusing Labor of allowing increased immigration from India in order to boost votes (pictured, Diwali celebrations in Sydney)
‘I know that many Australians of Indian ancestry – and Indian migrants living in Australia – are distressed,’ she said.
‘My comments were never intended to be disparaging towards our Indian community. And I wish no ill will whatsoever to the Indian community – or any other migrant group.
‘Indian migrants who have come to Australia have a strong record of integration, embracing our values, working hard in many fields of endeavour, and joining the league of loyal Australian citizens.
‘I’ve helped Indian migrants with visa and citizenship applications. I’ve supported businesses run by Australians of Indian ancestry. Indeed, my own children are of Indian ancestry.’
Price said while Australia ‘benefited from a non-discriminatory migration policy’, Labor’s ‘mass migration agenda’ was straining resources.
‘Labor has opened the migration floodgates. It has brought in a record 1.2 million people in its first term,’ she said.
‘There’s a big difference between controlled, planned, and sustainable migration on the one hand. And uncontrolled, unplanned, and unsustainable migration on the other hand.
‘Migration at the current scale and pace is putting excessive pressures on housing, infrastructure and services. That makes life tougher for everyone. Not just for Australian citizens but for recently arrived migrants and permanent residents who want to join Team Australia too.
Hawke (pictured) said he talked to Price and ‘accepted her explanation of how her comments have been misinterpreted and subsequently weaponised by Labor’
‘Reducing mass migration means more housing, less congestion, better services – and that benefits all families.’
Price finished her clarification by saying: ‘I want to see a better life for all families – whether you’re a migrant, a resident, or a citizen – and regardless of your background.
‘So, I will continue to speak up with courage on the ramifications of mass migration in the interest of all families and the nation.’
