Coalition politicians have continued to downplay Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s apparent referencing of Donald Trump’s signature Make America Great Again slogan at an election rally, calling it a “slip of the tongue” even as images emerge of the shadow minister and her husband wearing Maga hats just months ago.
The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, called it a “slip of the tongue” when Price, the shadow minister for government efficiency and Indigenous Australians, told a campaign rally she wanted to “make Australia great again” on Saturday. The senator later claimed she hadn’t “even realised” she made the comments, then accused the media of being “obsessed” with the US president.
Guardian Australia has obtained an image of the senator at an event with her family over the Christmas period wearing a Maga hat.
In one image with her husband, Colin Lillie, she is seen holding a Trump Christmas tree decoration. Price is wearing a gold and white “Make America Great Again” baseball cap, while Lillie wears a Santa hat with the same slogan and a US flag.
Guardian Australia has approached Coalition campaign headquarters for comment.
Despite echoing several Trump policies, including naming Price to a “government efficiency” role reminiscent of Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency”, Dutton has shrugged off comparisons to the US president. The Liberal leader has also denied that his plans to slash the public service, including cutting roles associated with the education department and those in diversity and inclusion positions, were influenced by Trump.
Dutton has previously praised the US president as a “big thinker” and said he would have more in common with Trump than Anthony Albanese would; a position he has tried to walk back from as the effects of US tariffs on Australia turn local sentiment against Trump.
On Channel Nine’s Today show on Sunday, Littleproud – the leader of the Nationals party room, in which Price sits – downplayed her comments and claimed she was not seeking to reference Trump.
“This is an impromptu speech … You’ve got a whole lot of words going around your head, she inadvertently made these comments,” he said. “It’s nothing about trying to channel Trump at all.
“We all make slips during the campaign. This was an inadvertent one by Jacinta. And if that’s the level of debate that the Labor party want to bring to this, rather than policy about the fact that there are Australians tonight that won’t be able to afford dinner, all they’ve got to run on, on their record is smear and innuendo.”
“I think Australians want the adults in the room to run the show. Not one that’s just going to try and tear people down for slip of the tongues.”
The Coalition campaign spokesperson, James Paterson, distanced himself from the comments. On Sky News, the Liberal senator said “that’s not my style of politics” when asked if the Coalition would seek to ‘make Australia great again’ but he did not criticise the sentiment expressed by Price.
“I believe Australia is the greatest country in the world but we certainly don’t have the best government in the world, and we will not get back on track if the Albanese Labor government is re-elected,” Paterson said.
“What we need is a strong Coalition government led by Peter Dutton and David Littleproud that has the plans that we need to give the immediate relief that Australians need and the long-term plan to get cost of living under control.”
