MELBOURNE, 7 September 2025: Northern Territory Liberal Sen. Jacinta Price’s remarks on Indian migration stigmatising the Indian community after the anti-immigration rallies, have come in for swere criticism from the Indian, South Asian communities across Australia.
The latest to join is Vasan Srinivasan, Indian community and Liberal Party leader and former Federation of Indian Associations of Victoria (FIAV) President and currently founding Chairman of the Australian Indian Community Centre, Vasan Srinivasan who slammed Liberal Sen. Jacinta Price for her remarks on Indian migration in Australia. In a statement sent to South Asia Times (SAT) via WhatsApp, Vasan has called upon all political leaders across the spectrum: “please do not use my Indian community as a political football.”
“It is therefore deeply disappointing to hear Senator Jacinta Price’s recent remarks on Indian migration. Such comments risk unfairly stigmatising a community whose migration to Australia has been overwhelmingly driven by skilled migration and international education — addressing critical workforce shortages, a process supported by governments of both persuasions since the Howard era,” he says.
Main points of Senator Jacinta Price remarks:
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Price stated on ABC Radio that Labor was favoring migrants—especially from the Indian community—because they tend to vote for Labor.
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She cited a 2022 RedBridge poll that, according to her, showed that 85% of Australians of Indian ancestry voted for Labor.
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Price argued her concerns were about the “mass migration agenda” putting pressure on infrastructure and services.
He added: “Over nearly four decades of political involvement — including as a federal candidate in 2022 — I have developed enduring friendships across the political aisle, with leaders such as the late Simon Crean, the late Kimberley Kitching, Peter Dutton, Michael Sukkar, Alan Tudge, Alex Hawke, Julian Hill, Matthew Guy, Maria Vamvakinou, , Luke Donnellan John Pandazopoulos, Nicholas Kotsiras and many more. These relationships have taught me that Australia’s strength lies in its unity, not division.”
Senator Jacinta Price’s remarks came just after anti-immigration rallies, with some rhetoric against the Indian-Australian community. Price clarified further that she intended to raise issues about “uncontrolled migration” and not to vilify or target the Indian community, but debate and fallout have continued, with some Liberal MPs openly distancing themselves from her statements.
These remarks have sparked controversy, with bipartisan efforts now focused on restoring relations and affirming the positive role of Indian migrants in Australia. Meanwhile, opposition leader Susan Ley said, ” “The comments were wrong, not correct. They should not have taken place. Corrections have been made. They will not be repeated.”
Vasan Srinivasan’s Full statement
