A senior Liberal politician has been identified as the unnamed former Coalition frontbencher referenced in an alleged threat to a staff member of Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price after the senator faced criticism for comments about Indian migrants.
Former minister Jane Hume said on Monday she was "reeling" after her name surfaced in the dispute and described being drawn into the matter as "affronting." The revelation follows a week of political fallout after Price said Labor was allowing migrants who would "ultimately vote for them," remarks that drew condemnation from opposition figures and community leaders.
The episode began after Price's comments prompted messages from members of the Indian-Australian community and public criticism. In the days after the remarks, former immigration minister Alex Hawke told Sky News he had encouraged Price to clarify her comments on social media. Price later accused Hawke of berating her staff, alleging in a social media statement that he had pressured her staff and warned that if she did not comply she "may end up like another female member of the Coalition — who I won't name." It has since emerged that Price was referring to Hume.
Hume, who was demoted from the Coalition frontbench after the election, said she had been focusing on committee and policy work and wanted the issue to be left behind. "I am still reeling a little bit … I am not sure entirely what this is all about and why my name needs to be included," she told Sky News. "I think the most important thing here is that we move on from this. Jacinta has stepped back from her words that she said last week. She said that she was wrong, and that we move on."
Hawke issued a statement saying he had spoken with Price and "accepted her explanation of how her comments have been misinterpreted and subsequently weaponised by Labor." He said any "reasonable person must reject the targeting of Indian Australians" and that he supported Price's efforts to clarify her remarks and to return the debate to overall migration levels and a sustainable migration program. On Monday, Hawke told Sky News he believed Price should consider apologising, adding that his initial advice to her had been to offer an apology to the Indian community and move on.
Price has not issued an apology but posted a statement defending aspects of her comments and saying they were not intended to be disparaging toward the Indian community. She said many Australians of Indian ancestry and Indian migrants in Australia had been distressed by the reaction. Price said she had assisted Indian migrants with visa and citizenship matters, supported businesses run by Australians of Indian ancestry and that her own children are of Indian ancestry.
The controversy has prompted damage-control efforts from Opposition Leader Sussan Ley. On Sunday she visited Harris Park's "Little India" precinct in western Sydney to meet local business owners and community leaders. Ley said Price had retracted her remarks and acknowledged they had been heard in a way that was "hurtful and harmful," but stopped short of apologising on Price's behalf. On Monday, Ley scheduled roundtables with Chinese-language media and more than a dozen Indian community leaders from across Sydney.
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce said Price should apologise and "move on," telling a morning program that mistakes are common in politics and that the best response is to apologise and shift focus. The dispute has also reawakened scrutiny of Hume's recent public profile; she was blamed by some for controversial campaign remarks that critics said contributed to a drop in support among Chinese-Australian voters and was part of internal criticism of the Coalition's work-from-home policy.
The exchange underscores tensions within the Coalition over race, migration and internal party behaviour. Price's comments and the subsequent dispute have drawn attention from community groups and party figures alike, prompting conversations about how politicians discuss migration policy and treat members of their own staff and colleagues. Lawmakers on both sides have said they do not support targeting or disparaging any migrant community.
As of Monday, Price had issued explanations for her remarks and faced internal calls to mend relations with affected communities. Hume said she wanted the matter to end and for attention to return to policy work and committee responsibilities. Hawke reiterated his view that an apology to the Indian community would be appropriate and that the debate should focus on sustainable migration settings rather than on imputations about particular communities.