Jacinta Price slams Lisa Wilkinson’s ‘apology’ for joking about her name in secret meeting 

Indigenous Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price claims Lisa Wilkinson did not contact her to personally apologize after the TV star was caught mocking her as a “diversity choice.”

Senator Price slammed Wilkinson Friday after audio surfaced of the media personality making comments about the senator struggling to pronounce her name during a pre-interview with Brittany Higgins and her partner David Sharaz.

Late Friday night, the former host of The Project released a statement saying, “I sincerely apologize to Senator Price for any offense I may have committed.

“The conversation was private and not meant to appear out of context and into the public arena.

“The thrust of our conversation was about the need for real, sincere change within the Liberal Party, and that too many of their female preselections were in unwinnable positions.”

But Senator Price said Monday that Wilkinson still hadn’t contacted her personally, but that the apology statement had been passed on to her through her staff.

“She hasn’t personally apologized to me,” Senator Price told Sharri Markson on Sky News in her first interview since the incident on Monday.

“If she were a real woman, she’d call me and apologize in person.”

She said that the head of Paramount Australia, Beverley McGarvey, called her to apologize on behalf of the 10 Network, but that Wilkinson had not done so.

On Friday, Senator Price took aim at Wilkinson, saying the journalist lived in an ivory tower and was a long way from real issues involving Indigenous Australians.

“They are derogatory and racist comments… what would you expect from people who belong to the vigil,” she told 2GB.

‘The project has never been interested in the views of a conservative Indigenous woman from Australia’s outback. Not once has it shown any interest in the concerns I have expressed.”

According to Price, Ms Wilkinson (pictured) still has to contact her personally, with the apology being sent to Ms Price via her staff

Wilkinson’s swear words at Senator Price were made during a pre-interview session with Brittany Higgins (right), who was not heard to comment

Senator Price said what had offended her the most was Wilkinson’s suggestion that she was some sort of diversity pick.

“I would absolutely expect an apology from the 10 Network, from Lisa Wilkinson herself. That would be good,’ she said.

“Unfortunately, this waking culture allows racism to exist in plain sight.”

The comments were made during a pre-interview session with Ms Higgins and her partner, David Sharaz.

In a leaked portion of a pre-recorded interview with Higgins, Wilkinson pointed out that the coalition had ‘pre-selected more than 20 new and wonderfully diverse and strong female candidates, such as, and what’s her name, Nam… Nampinjumba? (sic). She’s a native woman.’

In response, Mr. Sharaz laughed and said, “She’s obviously got in.” It was clearly a safe seat.’

“That’s the point, it was — as soon as I looked at it I was like, ‘Oh, you’re kidding,'” Wilkinson said.

Mr Sharaz added: ‘They have been pre-selected in places that cannot be won.’