West Australian MP Melissa Price will replace Jacinta Nampijinpa Price as the shadow minister for defence industry and personnel, after the outspoken senator was sacked for refusing to offer her support for Sussan Ley’s leadership. 

The reshuffle will also see Tasmanian Senator Claire Chandler take over Ms Price’s current role in cyber security and science, returning her to the frontbench after she was demoted earlier this year. 

A newly created role of shadow minister for artificial intelligence, digital economy and scrutiny of government waste will be filled by Simon Kennedy, who replaced former prime minister Scott Morrison as the member for Cook last year. 

Senator Nampijimpa Price was axed from the frontbench on Wednesday after she was asked twice whether she supported Ms Ley’s leadership and she responded that it was a “matter for our partyroom”. 

A side-on shot of Jacinta Nampijinpa Price speaking into microphones during a media conference outside, wearing a white jacket.

Senator Jacinta Nampijimpa Price was dumped from the frontbench on Wednesday. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)

The move followed more than a week of escalating tensions that began when the Northern Territory senator wrongly suggested in an interview with the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing that Indians were being prioritised for migration to Australia to boost Labor’s vote. 

Senator Nampijinpa Price quickly walked back her comments but refused to apologise for them, declaring that she would not be silenced on the issue of migration.

Ms Ley issued her own apology to the Indian-Australian community on behalf of the senator on Thursday, eight days after the inflammatory comments were made. 

Afghanistan veteran Phil Thompson and Senator Chandler had previously been floated as possible replacements for the defence industry role, with senior Liberals warning that Ms Ley would face backlash if the vacancy wasn’t filled by someone from the right faction.

In a statement, Ms Ley said that Ms Price would bring “crucial experience” to the role after serving as defence industry minister under Scott Morrison.

Jostling for Nampijinpa Price’s frontbench replacement underway

Machinations over who will replace Liberal senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price on the Coalition frontbench are already underway, with the party’s right warning it would be “incendiary” if the position was handed to someone from the left.

The opposition leader added that Senator Chandler has a deep passion for her new portfolios and that Mr Kennedy was “one of the brightest minds in the parliament”.

Meanwhile, Ms Ley said shadow finance minister James Patterson would be brought into the opposition’s formal leadership team.

“Along with the deputy leader of the opposition, Senator Paterson is at the centre of developing our economic agenda, and it is appropriate that he joins the group as that work takes shape,” she said. 

Senior Liberals have publicly issued their support for Ms Ley’s decision to sack Senator Nampijinpa Price, including Mr Patterson, who described himself as a “good friend” of the Northern Territory senator.

Shadow health minister Anne Ruston on Sunday said Ms Ley had acted “swiftly and decisively”. 

“Sussan’s response to Jacinta not being prepared to offer that confidence … was absolutely appropriate,” she told Sky News before the reshuffle was unveiled. 

“The message that she’s sending to Australians is that she’s a strong leader and it’s time to get on with the jobs that we’re elected to do.”

Shadow defence minister Angus Taylor — who contested the leadership against Ms Ley earlier this year — said he thought Senator Nampijinpa Price would eventually rise the ranks again. 

“The right decision was made here, but I think Jacinta will make a major contribution, on the backbench for now, but in the future on the frontbench as well,” he said.