The Jacinta Price Chronicles

It would appear that for the last 3 years, or around the time of Peter Dutton’s first tilt at a good culture war as opposition leader - foghorning his divisive rhetoric with regard to the Voice - was the first good look we’ve had at Jacinta Price.

Many of us didn’t like what she was selling - but her stance as an Indigenous woman opposing the Voice to Parliament was a good opportunity for those bigoted and patriotic white folk to embrace their innermost racist and feel justified in their actions, online and offline - to punch down continually on First Nations people and any future reconciliation that may occur on their watch.

Jacinta Price, for her part, has revelled in the adulation, the attention and the sycophantic media. It would appear that she has had a meteoric rise from virtually nothing before 2015. The details on her journey are sketchy in the negative with plenty of positive stories about her singing and songwriting days before being elected into the Alice Springs Town Council in 2015. A few stories of her time in council have gone missing online - but nothing really goes missing if people know where to look.

When Price was elected to council she gave her word to her constituents that she would serve out her term in council and carry out her duties effectively. It would seem that even then Price had her eyes firmly fixed on the prize - because six months into her four-year term with council she ‘announced she was seeking endorsement to be the CLP candidate for the division of Lingiari at the 2019 federal election. She failed in her attempt and remained at council until 2022 when she had a crack as a federal Senate candidate for the NT. The rest is history.

Her time in council has largely been glossed over in Wikipedia but suffice it to say that her commitment to excellence as a councillor was sadly lacking. She was negligent in her work and her attendance ‘grossly inadequate’. The council itself was teetering on dysfunction caused by a score of vexatious complaints that she was involved in against others that had no foundation.

Her maiden speech in the Senate focused on the good she could do for those on her community. It would seem a tad hypocritical now in light of her actions during the No campaign.

While Price will always likely use her past history as a standing point for her inflammatory comments - it has more to do with her ambition than anything to do with “her” community or “her” people.

Price constructs her narrative around white colonialism rather than Indigenous history - and is quick to deny any wrongdoing of colonialism with regard to Indigenous people. In 2023 at the National Press Club, Price claimed that colonisation had ‘a positive impact’ on Indigenous people. This, of course, was not well received by many Indigenous people and organisations throughout the country. That she was promoted in her first term by Peter Dutton to Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs - would also seem a tad hypocritical considering her views. It was also a bone of contention for many Indigenous groups in this country.

Price has been accused of being inflammatory, triggering, a grifter, a wildcard and a hard-right MAGA follower. She appears to make the most of her notoriety and is known for her divisive statements. There have been times when it would have been wise to keep a lid on her RW foghorning. Her MAGA rhetoric during Dutton’s campaign was likely just another nail in the already Trump-shy electorate coffin.

I see few positives to Jacinta Price’s strategy - if indeed it can be called strategy. Price has an ego the size of Uluru.

Her recent defection from the Nationals to the Liberals highlights her lack of commitment to anyone but herself. In her defection from the Nationals she has burned bridges that will not be repaired. Indeed, Canavan and McKenzie have likely battened off that last remaining drawbridge and armed the troops. If Price ever has a moment of self-reflection, she may wonder in the future why the Nats got so snarky. One thing she is not is self-aware.

So far nobody has said no to Price (pun intended) - and in her success with the No campaign she is seen as the only person who has managed a successful campaign of sorts to the coalition’s advantage. To look at Price through these rose-coloured lenses would be a mistake, however. She is good at division, cultivating culture wars and hate. She is good at twisting the narrative. Is she an all rounder who can speak to those in the electorate and the media on various issues and platforms to create commonalities in less destructive and divisive ways? Will she perform under pressure and scrutiny? Doubtful.

With the announcement that Price would be nominating as Taylor’s deputy opposition leader, it all became quite clear as to why Price defected to the Liberals. The news of Sussan Ley’s victory as opposition leader with O’Brien as her deputy was welcomed by some. In less than a week, Price has defected, announced her ambition and been denied that lofty and self-serving ambition - likely by those who don’t want to see the Taylor-Price train wreck sink what is left of their party into the quagmire of irrelevance.

Price’s ego won’t like that very much at all. The Liberals may live to regret Angus Taylor’s sneaky power move with what he perceived as his strongest asset and chance of victory.

The underlying cracks between what is left of the moderates and the conservative right will likely fracture. The Nats are likely to be on the defensive from now on and are in a position to make demands due to their own election success as opposed to the Liberal’s utter failure to effectively read their own electorate. The Nats, of course, have their own problems with nuclear power, coal and not reading the room - so it should be interesting to see how they navigate collectively while simultaneously trying to keep their heads above malicious waters for the next three years.

Meanwhile, Jacinta Price will undoubtedly be looking for the next big thing to keep the focus on her. I’ve already noted the right-wing howling of Sky News opinionated foghorns opposing Sussan Ley’s promotion while pursuing the right-wing Jacinta power narrative with over-the-top t*rd polishing.

If right-wing media have learned absolutely nothing from their shyte fest and swing in behind Price and Tim Wilson in their latest brainfart strategy - we can expect more of the same divisive rhetoric and disruption.

Ley will also be under constant attack and will be pressured to perform. I’m not a Ley fan but at this point I feel sorry for her. She will be up against the media, Angus Taylor, Jacinta Price and anybody who backed Taylor.

Good Times

Credit: National Indigenous Times. The Guardian Australia. Auspol Australia.

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