Opposition leader Sussan Ley has stopped short of apologising for comments made by Liberal senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price about Indian migrants, but said they were not correct and should not have taken place.
Some members of the Australian-Indian community had been calling for Price to apologise, after the senator told the ABC Labor was accepting migrants who "support their policies, their views and vote for them as well", singling out "the Indian community" as an example.
Shortly after, Price appeared to walk back her comments, saying she didn't think she had anything to apologise for and appeared to accuse the interviewer of pushing the topic.
Ley told the ABC's Insiders program on Sunday that Price's comments "won't be repeated".
"The comments were wrong, not correct. They should not have taken place," she said.
"They will not be repeated. What I said subsequent and what I say now is to express my deep appreciation to the Indian community for all they have brought to Australia, for all they continue to bring, for their representation in every forum of society."
Ley praised Indian professionals and said many live in her electorate.
"We respect our Indian community as all our migrant communities."
Insiders host David Speers pushed Ley on whether she would apologise for Price's comments but the opposition leader did not issue an apology.
She said she would be meeting with members of the Indian-Australian community on Sunday afternoon and said Price is also engaging with the community.
Price's comments came after anti-immigration marches in capital cities and some regional areas, with some rhetoric from organisers singling out the Indian-Australian community.
Price issues another clarification
Later on Sunday, Price sought to issue another clarification in a Facebook post, in which she also criticised Liberal colleague Alex Hawke, accusing him of "mistreating" her over his apparent attempts to contact her after her comments to the ABC.
Price also said she regretted "not being clearer" in those comments and acknowledged Australians of Indian background and Indian migrants were distressed.
But she criticised media coverage, saying her comments were taken out of context.
"My comments were never intended to be disparaging towards our Indian community. And I wish no ill-will whatsoever to the Indian community — or any other migrant group.
"Indian migrants who have come to Australia have a strong record of integration, embracing our values, working hard in many fields of endeavour, and joining the league of loyal Australian citizens."
She said she had a background in the Northern Territory supporting Indian migrants, and said her children are of Indian ancestry.
Price said her concern was for Labor's approach to migration, claiming it was "uncontrolled, unplanned, and unsustainable".
"I will continue to speak up with courage on the ramifications of mass migration in the interest of all families and the nation."
No racial group should be vilified: Liberal MP
Hawke issued a statement after Price's social media post, saying he had spoken with Price, "accepted her explanation", and supported "her ongoing work to clarify the comments".
"Any reasonable person must reject the targeting of Indian Australians," Hawke said.
"The extremist and hate literature that was recently circulated prior to anti-immigration rallies is abhorrent. That behaviour must be condemned by anyone who supports a free, fair and tolerant society. No racial group should be targeted and vilified in Australia."
Ley said on Insiders that the total number of migrants to Australia was putting pressure on jobs, infrastructure and services.
"It's not the migrants themselves. I'm a migrant to this country, incredibly grateful for the opportunities it has given me and my family. I know other migrants feel the same. I welcome every single one of them," she said.
"The government failed in not getting infrastructure right."
