Overview

• Price was removed hours after a Perth press conference where she declined to express confidence in Ley and again stopped short of an apology over remarks about Indian migrants.
• In a statement, Price accepted the decision, returned to the backbench, and vowed to keep speaking on migration, calling her earlier comments “clumsy” and clarifying Australia’s policy is non‑discriminatory.
• Ley said the comments caused significant hurt to Indian Australians and stressed that confidence in the leader is a requirement for serving on the frontbench after meeting community leaders in Sydney.
• Senior Liberals including James Paterson and deputy leader Ted O’Brien backed Ley’s call, with some suggesting Price could return to a prominent role in time, while Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie said Price “almost stumbled into” her axing.
• The episode has intensified Coalition tensions and raised concerns about the party’s standing with multicultural voters, even as Liberal MP Julian Leeser issued an unreserved apology to the Indian community and the prime minister urged Price to say sorry.