Sussan Ley confirmed on Wednesday night that she has dismissed Jacinta Nampijinpa Price from her position in the shadow ministry. This decision comes after a string of incendiary remarks by Price on Indian migrants, which Ley called detrimental. The dismissal was a watershed moment for Ley. It would mark her first big test of authority since assuming the role of leader of the House.
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has quickly emerged as a leading national voice in the Liberal Party. Yet she just orchestrated the successful No campaign in Australia’s historic 2023 Voice referendum and she’s become the main lightning rod for party discord. Ley said Price had “failed the most basic test of high standard” expected of the shadow ministry. Price’s failure to issue a meaningful apology for her remarks and her continued loss of faith in Ley’s leadership were the two major reasons she cited for her departure.
Though having been dumped from the shadow ministry, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price is not likely to sit quietly on the backbench. She enjoys broad support from Liberal Party of Australia members. Plus, right-wing commentators support her for her savage approach to immigration. Her dismissal may give her the latitude to push for other, less popular proposals on contentious topics. This goes beyond her climate ambition to enshrine a welcoming migration policy.
Ley champions Jacinta Nampijinpa Price as an “outstanding” Australian. She counts Price as one of the great party builders in her party, even if their political trajectories are headed in opposite directions. The sacking seems bound to make already tense intra-party relations even worse. Price’s views have unsurprisingly found a strong and hearty reception among the Conservative membership.
Price’s brash, combative demeanor and the controversies she’s stirred in recent months mirror deeper rifts within the Liberal Party. These divisions are most pronounced in their strategies to recapture seats across urban Australia. This is where middle-of-the-road thinking often runs up against the more conservative nature of the committee. The party will now have to contend with harmonizing these competing views, as they seek to align themselves towards the next political cycle.
As Jacinta Nampijinpa Price settles into her new role on the backbench, it remains to be seen how she will leverage her influence and whether she will continue to challenge party leadership on key issues.
