Sydney: Australian Opposition leader Sussan Ley sacked a senator from her shadow ministry on Wednesday, for making “deeply hurtful” comments about Indian immigrants.

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price (L), a senator in the centre-right Liberal party, singled out Indian immigrants during a radio interview last week.

Price, who held the portfolios of defence industry and defence personnel in the shadow cabinet, refused to apologise for the comments despite condemnation by members of her own party and members of the Indian community.

Ley said she had sought Price’s resignation because she “failed the test” of high standards expected of a shadow minister. “The comments were wrong and should not have been made. And despite being given the time and space to apologise, Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price did not offer an apology.”

In a statement, Price said she had accepted Ley’s decision and emphasised that she did not intend to disparage the Indian community but raise concerns over “the magnitude of migration”. 

Price’s comments about one of Australia’s largest minority groups followed nationwide anti-immigrant protests that in part blamed Indian immigrants for cost-of-living pressures.