It is being claimed Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has quit the official ‘no’ campaign in the Indigenous voice referendum.
This is false. She continues to front the campaign and has made several appearances at ‘no’ events in recent days and weeks, examples here and here.
The claims appeared in the days after leading ‘no’ campaigner Nyunggai Warren Mundine said in an interview that he was in favour of treaties and for changing the date of Australia Day.
Figures from the ‘yes’ campaign responded by claiming splits were beginning to appear in the no camp and that Mr Mundine was out of step with others, including Senator Nampijinpa Price.
“Jacinta Price has quit the lying, fearmongering, conspiracy fantasy No cult,” this post (screenshot here) states.
“Warren Mundine wants to be elected to the Voice and wants to change the date for Australia Day. Warren wants a Treaty as well as the Voice.”
“Price quits ‘no’ campaign!” this post reads.
“Oops… Was she sick of lying every time she spoke?”
The basis for the claims is a recent change to Senator Nampijinpa Price’s parliamentary interests register.
On August 13, she updated the register to note she had resigned from the committee of the ‘no’ campaign group, Recognise a Better Way.
Senator Nampijinpa Price’s spokesman said she had stepped down back in February and had spoken publicly about the move at the time.
Recognise a Better Way was the first ‘no’ campaign group to emerge and is headed by Mr Mundine.
As previously stated, Senator Nampijinpa Price was on the committee alongside others including former federal minister Gary Johns and former deputy prime minister John Anderson.
The Advance-backed Fair Australia then rose to prominence with a focus on grassroots campaigning in an attempt to persuade mainstream Australians to vote no.
Much of the focus of campaigning and resources shifted to Fair Australia. Mr Mundine and Senator Nampijinpa Price front the group.
She announced back in February she had resigned from the Recongise a Better Way committee to focus her efforts on the Fair Australia campaign.
“I am deeply respectful of the national committee members themselves and the work they are undertaking, however I do firmly believe that my efforts are best directed towards the grassroots campaign focus of the Fair Australia campaign as opposed to the thought leadership and policy focus of Recognise a Better Way,” she told The Australian newspaper.
“We are all committed to achieving a resounding No vote and in doing so a positive result for Australians.”
Her office said that the update to her interests register was not evidence of her leaving the ‘no’ campaign.
“The Senator’s register of interest was updated to reflect a change from earlier this year,” a representative told AAP FactCheck.
“Senator Nampijinpa Price remains committed to fighting this divisive voice.”
Many of the false posts online link to an article published by independent Australian news outlet The Klaxon.
The article accurately states that Senator Nampijinpa Price has formally left Recognise a Better Way.
The article also features a correction stating: “This article has been updated to reflect that Nampijinpa Price was reported in February saying she would depart Recognise a Better Way, as well as to add additional context.”
The Verdict
The claim Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has quit the ‘no’ campaign is false.
Senator Nampijinpa Price remains a leader of the Fair Australia ‘no’ campaign group and has appeared at multiple events since the claim was made.
The claim is based on the senator’s recently updated interests register which notes her resignation from the committee of the Recognise a Better Way group.
Her office said she left the group in February, which is corroborated by news reports from the time.
False – The claim is inaccurate.
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