Politics

Federal

Political leadership

Opinion

James Massola Chief Political Commentator September 11, 2025 — 7.30pm

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price sacked herself from the opposition frontbench this week when she refused to apologise for her “Indian migrants” comments, then refused to declare her support for Liberal leader Sussan Ley. The Northern Territory senator has moved to the backbench, though fellow conservative James Paterson on Thursday suggested she would return to the frontbench one day.

But it is hard to see how Price can return while Ley is leader. Even Price’s close allies are annoyed with her for taking the path of most resistance and refusing to say sorry. Party-room sympathy is with Ley, at least for now.

A leading member of the hard-right faction in the Liberals,

See Full Page