Liberal Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has backtracked on comments suggesting the Albanese government is deliberately bringing in specific migrant groups — including Indian people — to strengthen its vote.
The NT Senator made the claims during an appearance on ABC's Afternoon Briefing on Wednesday, just days after an anti-immigration rally in Melbourne/Naarm that was followed by a neo-Nazi attack on Indigenous protest site Camp Sovereignty.
Asked whether she was concerned about the "core number, or the type of migrants that are coming in", Senator Price singled out Indian migrants, who had also been targeted by protesters on Sunday.
"It is definitely the core number. And of course, there is focus from this government to be getting them from particular countries over others," she 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."
Pressed on who she believed was being prioritised, Senator Price said: "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."
Host Patricia Karvelas noted that Australia operates a non-discriminatory immigration system, but when asked if she believed Labor was running a migration scheme to favour its own supporters, Senator Price replied: "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."
Within an hour of the broadcast, Senator Price issued a statement walking back her comments, which one Labor source described as "extraordinary".
"Australia maintains a longstanding and bipartisan non-discriminatory migration policy. Suggestions otherwise are a mistake," she said.
"My remarks were made in a wide-ranging interview on ABC where I sought to highlight issues of uncontrolled mass migration and ruptures to social cohesion."
Before her clarification, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke responded: "Australia does not have a race-based migration system, nor should it."
"At every citizenship ceremony I go to, I love reading out the countries of origin and hearing the cheers from everyone about to make a pledge to our country," he said.
"It's rare that anyone cheers more loudly than the Indian community. We are lucky that they have chosen us."
Senator Price, who drew criticism during the election campaign after being photographed wearing a Donald Trump "Make America Great Again" cap, was also active in the Senate, on Friday.
She accused Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi of calling for a "genocide in this country against those that support Israel" — before withdrawing the claim — and argued the Greens "certainly don't respect or acknowledge Indigenous Australians" in the chamber.
