'Why people are sick of politicians': Matt Canavan hits out at Jacinta Price's move to Liberal Party

Senator Jacinta Price has been branded a political opportunist for defecting to the Liberal Party by a senior Nationals politician .

Price, the the Coalition's shadow Indigenous Australians minister, sent shockwaves through federal politics yesterday when she announced she was joining Liberal ranks as the party prepares to vote on its new leader.

Nationals Senator Matt Canavan said on social media her defection was motivated by personal ambition.

READ MORE: Senator Jacinta Price defects from the Nationals to sit with the Liberals

"Jacinta Price's decision to put her own ambition over the will of the voters is exactly why people are sick of politicians," he posted on X.

"Jacinta Price was elected less than a week ago as a Senator that would sit in the Nationals party room."

Canavan also compared Price's switch to the Liberals with Greens former deputy leader Lidia Thorpe who left the party to sit as an independent senator.

"In fact it is worse because in Jacinta's case the votes are still being counted.

"If Jacinta wanted to sit in the Liberal party room she could have stood for a Liberal seat just a week ago. Why didn't she? "

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Price is expected to stand as the running mate of Liberal election hopeful Angus Taylor who told the Australian Financial Review she would be an asset to her new party.

"I strongly welcome a strong, capable woman in Jacinta," Taylor, the Coalition's treasury spokesperson, said.

"We want as many people in the Liberal Party room as possible."

Liberal deputy leader Sussan Ley today confirmed she was standing for the leader's job.

The party's MPs will vote next Tuesday on a replacement for Peter Dutton who lost his Brisbane seat of Dickson in last Saturday's election.

Liberal front bencher Dan Tehan today ruled himself out of a tilt at the leader's job following days of speculation he would throw his hat in the ring.

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