Central Land Council attacks Jacinta Price over her commentary on Alice Springs crisis and stance on voice

The Central Land Council has slammed Jacinta Nampijinpa Price over her commentary on the Alice Springs crisis and her stance on the Indigenous voice to parliament.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and Senator Jacinta Price hold a press conference on ANZAC Hill in Alice Springs. Picture: Liam Mendes / The Australian

The land council representing Aboriginal people of Alice Springs and surrounding communities has attacked opposition Indigenous affairs spokeswoman Jacinta Nampijinpa Price over her commentary on the Alice Springs crisis and her stance on the Indigenous voice to parliament, saying: “she needs to stop pretending we are her people”.

Yuendumu man Warren Williams, deputy chair of the council of 90 elected Aboriginal women and men from central Australia, was highly critical of the Alice Springs Senator in a media statement issued by the Central Land Council on Thursday.

The council is currently meeting at Spotted Tiger near Atitjere and issued its statement about Senator Price after what it described as her “continued attacks on land councils and other peak Aboriginal organisations”,

In March, Senator Price and Greens-turned-independent Senator Lidia Thorpe called for an inquiry into Aboriginal land councils.

“We are tired of her playing politics with grass roots organisations our old people built have built to advocate for our rights and interests,” Mr Williams said.

“Her people are the non-Aboriginal conservatives and the Canberra elite to which she wants to belong.”

“She should tell us what her grievances with the CLC are, and if she can really and truly listen to us she is welcome to attend our next council meeting.”

Mr Williams said the council was well aware of the scale of the challenges faced by Indigenous families in central Australia and welcomes anyone who was willing and able to work with them.

“We have many good men and women who are trying hard to make our communities better places, who are desperate to be heard, and Senator Price’s divisive approach isn’t helping,” Mr Williams said.

He said by generalising about Aboriginal people without any evidence and authority, Senator Price is hurting Aboriginal people.

“Our kids are the apples of our eyes,” Mr Williams said. “We are not abusers. We love our children. We’d like to know where she got her information from. It is mandatory to report such evidence to the authorities.

“We can do without self-appointed lone crusaders who are unable to bring people of good will together.”

In the council’s media release published on its website Thursday, Lajamanu community leader Valerie Patterson said Senator Price was misrepresenting the support for the voice in remote communities.

“I am a Warlpiri woman and I will vote yes because I believe that having the right to be heard by the parliament and the government will open a door for our children,” Ms Patterson said.

“Senator Price should support us, not tell lies about us.”

“The voice comes from the people,” Mr Williams said. “It’s a big opportunity for us. It opens everything up for us.

“There’s a lot of people who think the same thing. We want to go ahead with it. We will probably never have that chance again.” Mr Williams said Senator Price needs to educate herself about the views of Yapa [Warlpiri for Aboriginal people].

“We’ve never seen her on communities. She needs to get down to the grass roots and find out the truth, not just speak with the few people who will talk to her.”

A spokeswoman for Senator Price said she would not comment on the council’s media statement.