Welcome back to 10 News Plus. Well, it’s taken eight days. But finally, an apology for hurtful comments about Australia’s Indian community. But the sorry didn’t come from the person who made the remarks, Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. Instead, it was the Opposition Leader on behalf of the Liberal Party, as Sussan Ley continues to try to mop up the mess. Here is Network Political Editor Ashleigh Raper,
News Grab
I don’t believe I have anything to apologize about. The scapegoating of Indian communities designed to undermine their sense of safety and belonging is wrong. The comments were wrong. They were not correct. They should not have taken place. Corrections have been made. They will not be repeated. When a single person like this make comments which is singling out a community, it’s not fair. All I said to Jacinta was, would you consider apologizing to the community. Damaging and divisive, undermining and unedifying. It’s been quite the week for the Liberal Party, and all the while, Australia’s Indian community has been hurting. The Opposition Leader has now tried to put a stop to it.
Sussan Ley
May I take this opportunity as leader of the Liberal Party to apologize to all Indian Australians and indeed others who were hurt and distressed by the comments that were made.
Reporter
The apology from Sussan Ley was one Jacinta Nampijinpa Price refused to deliver. The senator was dumped from the Coalition front bench last night, seven days after her original comments suggesting Labor favors migration from India to bolster its vote.
News Grab
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 that the community votes for Labor at the same time.
Sussan Ley
The Senator had some time to reflect and make her own decisions about what apologies were necessary, in my view, they were, and the decision that I made yesterday speaks for itself.
Reporter
But it wasn’t just the lack of apology that prompted the sacking from the Shadow Ministry yesterday. Senator Proce failed to endorse Sussan Ley’s leadership.
Sussan Ley
Under my leadership, we would reflect modern Australia, respect modern Australia, and represent modern Australia. Serving in my Shadow Ministry is a privilege, and it is a requirement to have confidence in the leadership. Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has failed the test.
Reporter
This was an attempt by the opposition leader to release the pressure that had been building internally and externally.
Senator Scarr
Obviously, we got to a point yesterday where Sussan had to make the decision that she made, and I think in that context, it was appropriate for Sussan to give the apology on behalf of the Liberal Party that she gave today. There’s no doubt that Australians of Indian Heritage have been greatly hurt.
Reporter
Today. The Coalition was trying to put the sorry saga to bed.
Senator Scarr
There was distress in the Indian Australian Community, even before those remarks had been made. In the lead up to the marches which we saw, there was a pamphlet that was distributed that targeted Australians of Indian Heritage. Then we had the remarks last week, and I think it has to be viewed in that context. There’s no doubt that Australians of Indian Heritage have been greatly hurt.
Reporter
But the opposition won’t shy away from debating concerns about Migration.
Senator Scarr
When we conduct that debate, it is extremely important. It is extremely important that it doesn’t become a debate about any particular part of the Australian community. When we’re talking about these issues, we’re talking about failures of government policy.
Reporter
And on the question of Sussan Ley leading..
Senator Scarr
I believe Sussan’s got the vast majority support of the party room, certainly of the Shadow Ministry of which I’m part, and we need to unite behind Sussan, and we need to get focused on doing our job.
Sussan Ley
Jacinta is a valued member of our Liberal Party team, in our liberal Party room, and I know has contributed much in public policy and debate in this country, and will continue to do so.
Host
Sussan Ley is cleaning house, but Mills, you are my finance and politics advisor. Do you buy it?
Host
No, I don’t think so. You’ve now got a rogue and disgruntled back bencher with even less accountability. So I think there’ll be more mess to clean up in future.
Host
Just what you want when you’re the leader.
