Liberal senator was recruiting Jacinta Nampijinpa Price for ‘10 years’ before her defection

A senior Liberal senator’s bombshell admission on Jacinta Price’s defection to the Liberal Party could have been what blew the Coalition apart, he says.

James Paterson says he was actively recruiting Jacinta Nampijinpa Price for a decade before her shock defection to the Liberal party room after the federal election.

Senator Price is a member of the Northern Territory’s Country Liberal Party.

As an affiliate of the Liberals and Nationals, the CLP’s members can choose which party room to sit in at the federal level.

Senator Paterson on Wednesday acknowledged it was “certainly possible” Senator Price switching to the Liberals played a role in the collapse of the Coalition, but that “the truth is that Jacinta Price has always felt that she was a Liberal”.

Liberal senator James Paterson has admitted to recruiting Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. Picture: Jason Edwards / NewsWire

“She has always preferred to sit in the Liberal party room,” he told Sky News.

“I have been trying to recruit Jacinta to Liberal Party for 10 years, and before the 2022 federal election, in the spirit of Coalition and trying to keep things calm, she agreed to sit with the National Party.

“But that was not her preference, and it was always the case that she would seek to join the Liberal Party when she had the opportunity to do so, and we welcome her to Liberal Party.”

Senator Paterson said his colleague was “an extraordinary political talent” and that the Liberal Party was “very proud to have her”.

Senator Price led the Coalition’s charge in opposing the federal the Voice referendum, earning her praise from the Liberal Party’s upper echelon.

Senator Paterson was among the first Liberal parliamentarians to welcome her into the fold, writing on social media: “Delighted my friend Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has joined the Liberal Party of Australia. Welcome home Jacinta!”

https://www.facebook.com/senatorpaterson/posts/delighted-my-friend-senator-jacinta-nampijinpa-price-has-joined-the-liberal-part/1250217873130702/

Almost immediately after her defection, Senator Price backed Angus Taylor to lead the Liberals and announced her candidacy as his deputy, declaring that “returning to our roots as a party is critical right now”.

But she withdrew her deputy bid after Sussan Ley won the leadership vote last week.

Senator Price said her party room switch was motivated by a “sense of duty”, leaving a sour taste in the mouths of the Nationals, who funded her election campaigns.

.@JNampijinpa is someone of great warmth, conviction and authenticity. She has shown tremendous strength and commitment to standing up for what she believes in and will be an asset to the Liberal Party as we begin to rebuild. pic.twitter.com/6U5AEbHuVy

— Angus Taylor MP (@AngusTaylorMP) May 10, 2025

Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price sensationally defected to the Liberal party room after the federal election. Picture: Thomas Lisson / NewsWire

Senator Paterson’s admission somewhat confirmed a claim made by Bridget McKenzie.

The senior Nationals senator accused the Liberals of “recruiting” Senator Price during the election campaign.

“What I’m very concerned about is that it now seems that the Liberal Party was actively recruiting Senator Nampijinpa Price five days out from an election,” she told Sky News at the time.

“That is not the behaviour of partners, of trusted partners.

“It’s very, very concerning, and I think the Liberal Party and the CLP have to make decisions around the impact of Jacinta’s decision to resign from the National Party.”

It came on top of revelations the Liberals did not consult their National Party colleagues on key policies before announcing them and former Nationals deputy leader Perin Davey losing her senate seat.

Senator Davey ran on a joint Liberal ticket that dragged down her vote.

The Nationals have stressed the Coalition’s decimation at the election was due to a collapse in the Liberal Party’s vote and not theirs, with the former junior Coalition partner retaining all their lower house seats.

Originally published as Liberal senator was recruiting Jacinta Nampijinpa Price for ‘10 years’ before her defection