Play ‘bullying’ interview to the public, Jacinta Price tells Peter FitzSimons

Coalition senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has urged columnist Peter FitzSimons to publicly release audio of their recent phone interview.

Coalition senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. Picture: Chris Pavlich

Coalition senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has urged newspaper columnist Peter FitzSimons to publicly release audio of their recent phone interview, during which she claims she felt “bullied” by his “aggressive” manner towards her.

The NT senator, a Walpiri woman, said during the interview last Thursday, FitzSimons accused her of “giving racists a voice” because of her stated concerns about the proposed voice to parliament and her ongoing support for Australia Day being marked on January 26 – positions the columnist does not agree with.

“It’s hard to swallow, being a product of reconciliation myself, to be accused in this way (of being racially divisive) … it does speak to the fact it is difficult for Indigenous women, particularly conservative Indigenous women, to be accepted,” Senator Price told Sky News Australia on Tuesday night.

“We have always been expected to toe the line for the benefit of our race as an entirety, and Indigenous rights over our own individual rights as women.

“I come up against this wall a lot, and I’m determined to smash it because it is a racial stereotype and I don’t toe the line in terms of ­racial stereotypes.”

Peter FitzSimons.

FitzSimons has this week repeatedly denied all allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards Senator Price, and rejected her suggestion he had tried to silence her on the issue of the voice.

He insists the hour-long interview between the pair was conducted “in an engaged, pleasant manner”, and claims he bullied the politician are “simply not true”.

Asked on Tuesday whether she would be comfortable having her interview with FitzSimons made public, Senator Price said: “I’d be very happy with that. I felt quite uncomfortable, and I’d be quite happy for the public to listen to that interview themselves.”

On Sunday night, several hours after Senator Price wrote on social media about her displeasure with FitzSimons’ approach to her during their earlier phone interview, the high-profile columnist and author sent a series of text messages to the politician, threatening legal action if she did not remove the Facebook post.

Senator Price, who did subsequently delete the post, told The Australian she felt “intimidated” by FitzSimons’ threats of legal ­action.

Director of the Indigenous Forum at the Centre for Independent Studies Warren Mundine, threw his support behind Senator Price on Tuesday, accusing certain media outlets of behaving like advocates on the issue of the voice rather than providing balanced coverage of the debate.

“I think the media has to grow up and start doing its job. I’d also say that Anthony Albanese has to take the lead on this and say ‘We’re not going to tolerate the shutting down of views on this debate, nor any bullying behaviour from anyone, whether they support my proposal or not,” Mr Mundine said.

“There is a hell of a lot of pressure about this issue, and people like Jacinta and myself, who have publicly expressed concern about the voice, are being threatened.”

Mr Mundine, a member of the Bundjalung, Gumbaynggirr and Yuin people of NSW, said he “wasn’t surprised” by Senator Price’s claims that FitzSimons tried to shut down her view.

“It’s happening all the time – people like FitzSimons are publicly pushing a viewpoint, and anyone who is pushing back against that viewpoint is ‘wrong’.

“You’re made to feel like some kind of evil person if you speak up,” he said.

Mr Mundine said at a recent business function, senior executives were expressing concern that they were “under enormous pressure from all quarters to get on board with the voice”.

“They’re just confused because they’re not being exposed to both sides of the debate in the media, or from our politicians,” Mr Mundine said.

FitzSimons was approached for comment but did not respond.