Senator Jacinta Price to speak at Indian community centre tonight after being axed over migration comments

Media has been blocked from an event at a community centre where Jacinta Nampijinpa Price is set to speak, less than 24 hours after being dumped from the Coalition frontbench over her controversial comments on Indian migrants.

Senator Price is slated to speak at a sold-out Liberal Party fundraiser on Thursday night at the Indian Society of Western Australia community centre in the Perth suburb of Willetton.

But a large media contingent was not allowed access to the gated venue, while Senator Price was whisked through a back entry while the reporters, photographers and video crews were out the front.

The former opposition defence industry minister issued a statement late on Wednesday afternoon, saying Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley had “asked (her) to step down from the shadow ministry”.

Ms Ley told a snap media conference later that evening that Senator Price had “failed” to “uphold the standards I have set as a leader”, but said she would still be welcome in the Liberal Party room.

The move followed a week of party infighting in the wake of Senator Price’s comments that the Labor Party had let in more Indian migrants to boost their votes. 

She later retracted the comments but did not apologise.

However, Ms Ley did issue an apology to the Indian community for the first time on Thursday while in Hobart.

“But may I take this opportunity as leader of the Liberal Party to apologise to all Indian Australians and indeed others who were hurt and distressed by the comments that were made, comments that I said at the time should not have been made,” Ms Ley said.

Thursday night’s event promotes Senator Price speaking alongside outspoken WA Liberal MP Nick Goiran as “two MPs who are never afraid to say what needs to be said”.

The ISWA told the ABC it was not associated with the event, which had been booked through an online portal.

In the lead-up to the event, WA Liberal leader Basil Zempilas sent a letter to the ISWA addressing rising anti-migrant sentiment following last month’s ‘March for Australia’ rallies.

Notably, he did not mention Senator Price’s comments specifically in the letter.

“As … a product of Western Australia’s proud migrant history, I feel compelled to address some of the public commentary regarding Australia’s immigration policies and our migrant community, particularly the Indian community,” Mr Zempilas wrote.

“Free speech and the right to protest are important tenets of Australia’s democracy. However, some of what we have seen and heard over recent weeks has been unhelpful.

“That’s not the Australian way, and it’s not representative of the value of this State’s cultural diversity.

“Migrants have been and continue to be an integral part of our communities.

“Their contributions make those communities and our State stronger and more vibrant.

“I regret that members of your community may have felt aggrieved and hurt by recent commentary and commit to working with you to move forward in the spirit of inclusion and cohesion.”

Mr Zempilas told media outside parliament that he would not be attending the event but it would go ahead as planned on Thursday.

“A fundraiser that has been organised some time ago is taking place tonight,” he said.

“I accept that Senator Jacinta Price is part of the panel that will appear at that event and that is fair enough.

“I spoke to the Indian community about that and they were OK with it being held at that centre.”

Housing Minister John Carey told media the Opposition Leader should cancel the event.

“If he’s claimed that he’s concerned about the impact on the Indian community, he has to cancel the event,” he said.

The event was organised by Michelle Hofmann MLC who told reporters 500 tickets had been sold and it would be a great event.

“Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price is an incredible member of parliament,” she said.

“She’s really passionate about her community and there’s a lot of people who are very much looking forward to seeing her tonight.”