Election 2025: ‘I’m happy to kick off our feminist movement’, says Jacinta Nampijinpa Price

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price says she will kick off a feminist movement of Indigenous women in a Coalition government.

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price campaigns in Bunbury on Friday. Picture: David Bailey

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Jacinta Nampijinpa Price says she will kick off a feminist movement of Indigenous women in a Coalition government.

The NT senator and Coalition spokeswoman for Indigenous affairs was campaigning in the West Australian city of Bunbury on Friday when she said her policies would be about lifting the status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

“My lived experience as an Indigenous woman in this country under traditional culture (is that) I am a second-rate citizen, that I don’t have the same rights as Indigenous men,” she said.

“We haven’t had our feminist movement as Indigenous women in this country. It’s probably high time we did and I’m happy to kick that off.”

Senator Nampijinpa Price was ushered in the side door of a Bunbury golf club at 12.30pm on Friday as police watched about 30 Noongar protesters at the front of the building. The protesters held signs reading “Dutton’s puppet” and “Unwelcome on country” and chanted “Jacinta has to go”. Noongar leader Robert Eggington travelled from Perth to protest against the visit, saying she did not represent Aboriginal views.

While some Noongar people had claimed the senator should have sought permission to travel to traditional lands of the Noongar people in southwest WA, respected Noongar pastor Dennis Jetta said this was not necessary.

Mr Jetta, 83, is chairman of the Bunbury elders group and said it was courteous practice for politicians from all parties to notify his group when a prominent Indigenous person was coming to town.

“I don’t think anyone needs permission to come to Bunbury but it’s just polite to let us know what’s going on,” he said.

Senator Nampijinpa Price, West Australian senator Michaelia Cash and Liberal candidate for Forrest Ben Small held a private question and answer session with about 100 people who had paid $25 each to attend.

One Indigenous mother said since the voice defeat her children had been asking how to cope with racism. Choking back tears, she said: “This is not news, this is not fun for votes, this is actually our kids they are suffering and I want you to be more responsible.”

“I get where you are coming from, I have been a single mum of three boys and I’ve had to overcome adversity,” Senator Nampijinpa Price told the woman. “We should be respecting one another regardless of racial heritage in this country. The idea of racism has heightened. And the fact that the referendum was put before us I truly believe it was divisive.”

Later at a press conference, Senator Nampijinpa Price said: “No child in this country should have to feel ashamed of who they are.” She said if the Coalition was elected on May 3 the rights of Indigenous women would be “a huge part of policy going forward”.

She said she recently was invited to an event at which the smoking ceremony was conducted by a man who previously had said she deserved to be shot in the head.

“We have to look at, you know, who our elders are … If these are the sorts of individuals we’re holding in high regard in the Indigenous affairs, yes, there will be a reset,” she said. “The expectations will be lifted. The standard will be lifted on my watch.”