An outspoken senator dumped from the Liberal frontbench over her refusal to apologise for controversial Indian migration remarks and to back her leader is still welcome in the party.
Liberal leader Sussan Ley asked Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to step down from her coalition portfolios after the senator claimed the Labor government was bringing in more Indian migrants to bolster its vote.
Senator Nampijinpa Price refused to apologise for her "clumsy" comments, claiming members of the Indian community had reached out to her in solidarity.
She accepted Ms Ley's decision on Wednesday evening, while taking a swipe at those colleagues she said had chosen to "indulge agenda-driven media commentary".
"Although I will be returning to the backbench, I will continue to speak up on issues which are in the national interest and that are important to millions of Australians," she said in a statement.
Ms Ley said the NT senator's comments had been deeply hurtful to Indian Australians, should not have been made and she should have apologised.
But Senator Nampijinpa Price's refusal to endorse her as leader during a press conference and again during their conversation made her position in the shadow ministry "untenable".
"Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price critically failed to provide confidence in my leadership of the Liberal Party," Ms Ley said.
"Confidence in the leader is a requirement for serving in the shadow ministry."
Despite that, Ms Ley said she would still warmly welcome Senator Nampijinpa Price in the party.
"Her membership of the Liberal Party is something we continue to welcome and support," the leader said.
Senior members of the coalition had urged Senator Nampijinpa Price to apologise for her comments, with the NSW Liberals saying sorry on her behalf.
But she called for the coalition to continue to hold the government to account on migration numbers.
