Peter Dutton says CLP senator and leading no campaign spokesperson Jacinta Nampijinpa Price misspoke when she incorrectly said he had been to the Garma festival “several times already”.
The opposition leader has been criticised for not attending the festival, the country’s biggest Indigenous gathering, held every year in north-east Arnhem Land.
Garma organisers say they “cannot recall” Peter Dutton ever attending the festival.
Organisers say he was part of a delegation in 2014 led by then-prime minister Tony Abbott, who held a cabinet meeting in Arnhem Land and met with Yolngu leadership.
Last week, Dutton said the festival would be a “love-in [for] the yes advocates and proponents”, and that he had been to north-east Arnhem Land twice this year.
On ABC TV on Monday, Price defended Dutton’s decision not to attend.
Price said Dutton had been to Garma “several times already”.
“It might be important for some but, for those who can afford to pay almost $3,000 to attend for four days, I mean, it’s a love-in for Labor, for Mr Albanese.
“I would urge Mr Albanese to listen to the voices that Mr Dutton has listened to. We have…
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