Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has refused to apologise for comments accusing the Labor Party of prioritising Indian migrants to boost its vote, sharing and effectively endorsing a column defending the remarks as not racist and deepening divisions within the federal Coalition.
Price faced sustained criticism last week after saying Labor was ‘‘importing’’ Indian voters to bolster its support. The remarks prompted a public clash with Liberal Party figure Alex Hawke, who asked the senator to clarify her comments. Price subsequently accused Hawke of "cowardly and inappropriate conduct" towards her staff, and the dispute spilled into the open, with several senior Coalition figures urging her to apologise.
On Wednesday, Price re-shared a long post by conservative commentator Rukshan Fernando that defended her remarks and criticised calls for an apology. Fernando, who was born in Sri Lanka and identified in the piece as "an Australian with subcontinental heritage," wrote that Price’s observations about Australia’s changing demographics were "grounded in real world observations and, importantly, data" and argued the reaction to her comments was an overreach by the left, media and some conservatives.
Fernando also asserted that Labor was attractive to Indian-Australians because of what he called the "allure of victimhood offered" by the party. He linked his defence of Price to broader political debates, saying she had opposed what he described as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s push for "racial apartheid during the Voice debate." Price thanked Fernando and wrote that he was an "Aussie that fights for our values and freedoms," reiterating she would not apologise.
The episode has intensified tensions inside the Coalition, where some senior Liberals and Nationals have privately and publicly urged restraint and reconciliation. Party sources said the dispute had consumed internal discussions and threatened to dent the Coalition’s standing ahead of future electoral contests. Price’s supporters argue she is raising legitimate questions about demographic change and political strategy; critics say her language stokes division and wrongly targets a growing migrant community.
Price, an Indigenous senator who represents the Northern Territory, has in recent years become a polarising figure in federal politics. Her comments come amid ongoing national debates about immigration, multiculturalism and the political mobilisation of migrant communities, as well as broader discussions inside the Coalition about messaging and discipline.
Alex Hawke, who requested clarification of Price’s remarks, has not publicly withdrawn his call for an apology. Senior Coalition figures have continued to press for an explicit retraction or explanation, saying the matter should be resolved internally to avoid further public damage. Price has so far declined to do so.
The dispute continues to unfold, with party officials monitoring the reaction from Indian-Australian communities and broader public opinion. No formal disciplinary action has been announced by the Liberal Party as of publication.