Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has publicly criticized her colleague, Liberal MP Alex Hawke, calling his behavior "cowardly and inappropriate". This accusation comes as tensions rise within the party over her recent comments regarding Indian Australians. Price's remarks, made during an interview with the ABC, suggested that the government was favoring Indian migrants who lean toward the Labor Party to enhance its electoral support.

In response to the backlash, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley sought to mend relations with the Indian community by visiting Sydney's Little India. During her visit, she acknowledged that Price's comments were "hurtful". Price has faced mounting pressure to apologize for her statements, which many believe have alienated the Indian Australian community.

In a detailed social media post, Price clarified that she did not intend to offend Indian Australians. However, she also took the opportunity to criticize Hawke for allegedly reprimanding one of her staff members during a phone call. She claimed that Hawke implied she would face consequences if she did not comply with his requests, referencing another unnamed female Coalition member.

"Later that day, I sent him a WhatsApp message to call out his cowardly and inappropriate conduct," Price wrote. She added, "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 responded briefly, stating that he had spoken with Price and accepted her explanation regarding the misinterpretation of her comments. He expressed support for her efforts to clarify her statements and return the focus to migration levels and sustainable policies.

The female Coalition member referenced by Hawke is believed to be Victorian Senator Jane Hume, who faced criticism for her comments about "Chinese spies" during the election campaign. Reports indicate that Hawke was among several party members who urged Price to apologize to mitigate the fallout from her remarks, which had reportedly upset many within the party and the Indian Australian community.

Some party insiders suggest that Price's attack on Hawke may be part of a larger factional struggle for control within the New South Wales branch of the Liberal Party. Ley, however, downplayed the internal conflict, stating, "We move on now, we move on with warmth to embrace our incredible multicultural communities."

During her first appearance as opposition leader on ABC Insiders, Ley faced questions about whether she would apologize for Price's comments. While she acknowledged that the remarks were incorrect and had been addressed, she declined to apologize on behalf of Price. Instead, Ley emphasized her support for the Indian community, stating, "We vote every three years, but we are Australians every single day of every year."

Ley reiterated her commitment to appreciating the contributions of the Indian community, asserting that her leadership would focus on fostering positive relations.