A leader of the ‘no’ campaign has confirmed she has had discussions with Peter Dutton to be installed as the Coalition’s next Indigenous Australians spokesperson.
The opposition leader is weighing up who he will promote to the shadow ministry as part of a cabinet reshuffle to fill the void left by the resignation of Julian Leeser.
Mr Leeser quit the frontbench earlier this week after Mr Dutton announced the Liberals would actively campaign “no” in the upcoming referendum to enshrine an Indigenous advisory body in the Constitution.
Country Liberal senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, who campaigned alongside Mr Dutton in Alice Springs on Thursday, was asked if she had put herself forward for the job.
“Of course it’s been mentioned, and that’s as far as I’ll go,” Senator Nampijinpa Price told Sky News.
“It certainly has come up in discussion. It can’t not come up in discussion with these current circumstances.”
Senator Nampijinpa Price, who sits in the Nationals party room in the parliament, is speculated to be the frontrunner to replace Mr Leeser and bolster Mr Dutton’s plans to oppose the referendum.
South Australian senator Kerrynne Liddle, the only Indigenous MP currently within Liberal ranks, is also expected to be in the mix for the shadow cabinet gig.
Speaking with 2GB, Mr Dutton said he would take the weekend to assess who is best placed to take on the job.
“Jacinta is an outstanding person … there are a number of others in the party room as well, who are well qualified for that position,” the Liberal leader said.
“I’m going to take a few days and probably over the weekend, just to give it some further thought and whether there’s a knock on effect to a couple of other portfolios, handle all that, and then make a decision next week.
He said Senator Nampijinpa Price was a “rock star” on the ground as she continues to bring attention to crime rates in Alice Springs.
The mayor of the local council, Matt Paterson, told Sky News while crime figures had dipped in February and March, it has risen in recent weeks.
“We need more boots on the ground and people need to feel safe in their own home. People feel unsafe going to sleep at the moment,” he said.