Liberal senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has been forced to walk back her inflammatory claim that the federal government is bringing in specific groups of migrants, including Indian people, to bolster its vote.
Price made the incorrect allegation as she weighed into immigration issues on the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing program on Wednesday, days after anti-immigration rallies on the weekend led to violent incidents and a prominent neo-Nazi being charged.
Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price draped in the Australian flag in the Senate on Wednesday.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Price singled out Indian migrants – who were targeted by protesters at weekend rallies that have been condemned for racist overtones – as she was questioned about whether she thought people were worried about “the core number, or the type of migrants that are coming in”.
“It is definitely the core number. And of course, there is focus from this government to be getting them from particular countries over others,” Price said.
“I think Labor like to be able to ensure that they’re going to allow those in that would ultimately support their policies, their views, and vote for them as well.”
Host Patricia Karvelas pointed out Australia had a non-discriminatory immigration system. She asked whether Price believed the government was actively running a migration program to bring in people who were open to their ideas, and the senator answered, “absolutely”.
“This is Labor. Basically, it’s power at any cost. And we see that occur all over the place in terms of the way they conduct themselves,” Price said.
Asked who she thought Labor was trying to bring migrants in for the sake of votes, the senator singled out the Indian community.
“As we have seen, you yourself mentioned, that there is a concern with the Indian community, and only because there’s been large numbers, and we can see that reflected in the way the community votes for Labor at the same time,” Price said.
