Jacinta Price pans Indigenous ‘experts’ in Melbourne

Nationals senator and prominent No campaigner Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has had a crack at Victoria as the referendum debate heats up.

Northern Territory senator and prominent No campaigner Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has taken aim at Victoria and sporting codes over their support for the Voice to parliament.

Speaking on 3AW on Monday, Senator Price said Victoria was a state where “everything is about ideology and not common sense”, and sporting codes should not be “telling Australians how to suck eggs” in the public support for the Yes case.

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has taken aim at Victoria and sporting codes over their support for the Voice to parliament. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“There’s so many experts in Melbourne on the plight of Indigenous Australians from places that I come from and the communities that I come from, but unfortunately their lives are completely and utterly removed,” the senator said.

Ms Price’s comments come after recent polling showed that only Victoria and Tasmania were likely to vote Yes in the upcoming referendum.

For a referendum to be successful, four states must be vote in favour of the proposition as well as a majority of voters in what is called a “double majority”.

“You only have to look at who’s running the show here in Victoria and the level of activism that takes place,” she said.

Senator Price said ‘everything is about ideology’ in Victoria. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Glenn Campbell,

“Victoria is one of those places where everything is about ideology and not common sense.”

Ms Price also took aim at the major sporting codes and clubs.

“I’m really disappointed there are clubs who have come out and said they support it,” she said.

“They can’t describe to an Indigenous person in a remote community how it’s going to improve their lives.

“Why should they be telling Australians how to suck eggs?”

Also on Tuesday, former prime minister Tony Abbott, speaking on 2GB, said the referendum was “not going well” for the Yes campaign but cautioned the impact of funding from “woke billionaires” into the campaign.

Tony Abbott said the referendum was not going well for the Yes campaign. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“It’s not going well for the Yes campaign, but I don’t think the No campaign can be complacent,” Mr Abbott said.

“There is still an avalanche of money being provided by woke companies, woke foundations and billionaires.

“If it is possible to buy a referendum outcome, I think the Yes campaign will do it.”

“This isn’t about recognition – this is a power grab by activists.”

While a date is yet to be formally fixed for the referendum, it is widely predicted Australians will head to the polls in October.