Liberal Leader Sussan Ley fronted the press with a statement regarding her decision to dump the much-loved and extremely popular Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price from the Shadow Cabinet. Ms Ley repeatedly complained that Senator Price failed to show confidence in her leadership.

On that, Senator Price seems to be in furious agreement with conservative voters who feel Ms Ley won’t make it to the next election as leader.

Certainly, voters have been talking of Senator Price as the true next leader of the party capable of winning.

The events that led to today’s expulsion have been so overt we were able to glimpse the moderate levers of power twitching behind the throne in the headlines of the press.

Reflect modern Australia, respect modern Australia, and represent modern Australia.

Serving in my Shadow Ministry is a privilege and it is a requirement to have confidence in the leadership. Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price failed the test of high standard that I have set for members of my Shadow Ministry.

Several days ago, Senator Nampijinpa Price made comments that were deeply hurtful to Indian Australians. The comments were wrong and should not have been made.

Since that time, my team and I have been out listening to Australians of Indian heritage and we have heard their response and the pain and hurt that these remarks provided for them. And despite being given the time and space to apologise Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price did not offer an apology today.

And many Australians, not just of Indian heritage, have been calling for that apology for remarks that were deeply hurtful. Now today Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price critically failed to provide confidence in my leadership of the Liberal Party. Confidence in the leader is a requirement for serving in the Shadow Ministry.

A couple of hours ago I spoke to the Senator and I advised her of my decision.

And in response to a reporter question, she added:

Well, these are matters for Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to consider her future, but I warmly welcomed her to our Liberal Party party room and I still warmly welcome her in our Liberal Party. She is an outstanding Australian who has achieved much and I know that she is admired and loved by many in this country. Her membership of the Liberal Party is something we continue to welcome and support.

My call to her was to advise her of the decision that I have made and to advise her that today, critically, she refused to express confidence my leadership of the Liberal Party and confidence in the leader is a requirement for serving in the Shadow Ministry.

Ms Ley repeated that last line again before exiting the press conference.