Jacinta Nampijinpa Price officially throws her hat into the ring for Liberal leadership job

Outspoken Northern Territory Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s defection to the Liberals is complete, as she puts her hand up for one of the party’s top jobs.

Outspoken Northern Territory Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has officially put her hand up to run for the deputy leadership of the Liberal Party three days after she defected to their ranks from the Nationals.

Ms Price has also officially endorsed Coalition treasury spokesman Angus Taylor’s candidacy for Liberal leader ahead of Tuesday’s party room meeting where a secret ballot will be held to decide the leadership positions.

“As I’ve said with respect to my decision to change party rooms, these are not matters which I take lightly, and this decision today brings with it a great deal of responsibility which I fully accept,” she said in a statement on Sunday morning.

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price pictured in Alice Springs on May 1. Picture: Gera Kazakov

Ms Price said there was “no question” returning to the Liberals’ “roots” as a party was “critical right now”.

“If we want to inspire and empower Australians across our country, we must return to these roots – these basic values – that define who we are as a party,” she said.

“We must once more remember and fight for the forgotten people, those on whose shoulders Australian society has been built and still depends.

“These are the mainstream Australians who have a big contribution to make.”

Ms Price said this made her think of her grandparents, “who were by no means the elite, building their first home by hand with hessian bags and washing their clothes in the creek in Warners Bay, NSW. But they saw a spark, a vision of a brighter future for generations to come”.

“My Warlpiri grandparents caught the vision and transitioned from nomadic desert life into community life during the emergence of a modern Australia,” she said.

“They were the original Aussie battlers – the forgotten people.

“Their courage to grab hold of aspiration with both hands has paved the way for a desert kid like me to put my hand up to lead.

“Like my grandparents, I too see a spark. I see a brighter future for generations to come. I want others to see this future for themselves. That’s what my candidacy for Deputy Leader is all about – a brighter future not just for the Liberal Party, but for all Australians.”

Sussan Ley is also running for the Liberal leadership. Picture: Facebook

Current Liberal deputy leader Sussan Ley is also challenging for the party’s leadership on Tuesday, while on Monday there will be a Nationals party room meeting to decide their leader where at least two people – current leader David Littleproud and Queensland Senator Matt Canavan – are planning to contest for that role.

Originally published as Jacinta Nampijinpa Price officially throws her hat into the ring for Liberal leadership job