Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has formally put her hat in the ring for the deputy Liberal leadership, joining shadow treasurer Angus Taylor’s ticket.
It comes days after Nampijinpa Price defected from the National party room, where the Country Liberal party senator has been sitting since being elected in 2019.
In a statement, she said the decision brought “a great deal of responsibility which I fully accept”.
“There is no question that returning to our roots as a party is critical right now,” she wrote.
“If we want to inspire and empower Australians across our country, we must return to these roots – these basic values – that define who we are as a party.”
The statement followed a video released on social media by Taylor and Nampijinpa Price, of the pair in conversation. The senator said in the video they both had “such passion” for Australia, the party and the Coalition.
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“As you know Angus, I’ve been a fighter all my life, and I think we’re in a really good position to come back from this and come back strong … You’ve got incredible experience behind you and I’ve had the pleasure of having you as a mentor,” Nampijinpa Price said.
“We have such passion for this country, for our party and for the Coalition as a whole.”
The ballot for the next leader and deputy leader will take place on Tuesday, the same day the new Albanese ministry will be sworn in.
On Friday, the deputy leader, Sussan Ley, formally announced her run for the leadership, but it was unclear who would run with her for deputy.
After a controversial defection, which spurred anger and “disappointment” within the National party, Price’s leadership tilt has also sparked some concern within the Liberal ranks.
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On Friday, before the announcement, Liberal sources told Guardian Australia Nampijinpa Price was “not the answer” for the future of the party.
On Sunday, Liberal senator Dave Sharma, a moderate, was asked on Sky News whether it was too soon for Nampijinpa Price to be putting her hand up for the deputy leadership.
“She’s perfectly entitled to put her hand up … people will have different views about that issue though, I think,” he said.
Asked whether either leadership candidate had been offering shadow cabinet roles in return for support, Sharma said he would be “appalled” if there was horse-trading, but didn’t believe that had taken place.
“I think that [if] any prospective leadership candidate was going around trading portfolios for support, [they’re] taking the completely wrong approach,” he said.
Ley, also a moderate, released her own statement on Friday, which said the party needed to “build a new economic narrative”.
“We need new policy offerings to show everyday Australians that we have a plan to help them and their families get ahead,” she said.
“We need to rebuild trust with all sections of Australian society, and my election as leader of the Liberal Party would send a very strong signal that we understand that things must be done differently.”
