Jacinta Price, a Liberal Senator in Australia, has retracted her controversial statement regarding Indian migrants, which suggested that the federal government is favoring specific groups to increase electoral support. Price made the comments during an interview on the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing on March 15, 2024, shortly after a series of anti-immigration protests that escalated to violence.
In her remarks, she claimed that the Australian government was focused on bringing in migrants from particular countries, including India, to enhance their political base. “It is definitely the core number,” Price stated when discussing public concerns about immigration levels. She added, “There is focus from this government to be getting them from particular countries over others,” implying that these migrants would likely support the government’s policies.
During the interview, host Patricia Karvelas challenged Price on the nature of Australia’s immigration system, which is designed to be non-discriminatory. When asked if she believed the government was actively selecting migrants based on their political alignment, Price responded, “absolutely.” She singled out the Indian community, noting, “As we have seen, 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 the community votes for Labor.”
The remarks have been met with significant backlash, particularly from the Indian Australian community, which has reported incidents of racism, especially during the recent rallies that specifically targeted high immigration from India. One individual recounted an experience of being verbally assaulted by protesters, who chanted “deport, deport, deport.”
In the wake of the criticism, Price issued a clarification approximately one hour after the broadcast, stating, “Australia maintains a longstanding and bipartisan non-discriminatory migration policy. Suggestions otherwise are a mistake.” She explained that her intent was to highlight issues related to uncontrolled mass migration and its effects on social cohesion.
Sussan Ley, the Opposition Leader, pointed to Price’s clarification when asked for her opinion on the matter. In contrast, Tony Burke, the Home Affairs Minister, emphasized that Australia does not operate a race-based migration system. He highlighted the diversity of the country, saying, “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. It’s rare that anyone cheers more loudly than the Indian community. We are lucky that they have chosen us.”
The situation underscores ongoing tensions surrounding immigration policies in Australia, particularly in light of recent protests that have raised concerns about racism and xenophobia. As the political landscape evolves, the implications of such statements on community relations and public sentiment remain critical.
Further developments are expected as discussions on immigration continue to unfold in the Australian political arena.
