Anthony Albanese: Fatima Payman suspended because of tax cuts, not Gaza

Labor Cabinet Minister Anne Aly says it is more important for Australia to push for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza than to recognise a Palestinian state.

Aly told ABC radio she hoped Senator Fatima Payman would stay in the party after she switched sides last week to vote for a Greens motion to recognise a Palestinian state before being expelled from the Labor caucus.

Payman justified her move by arguing that prominent Labour figures, including Foreign Minister Penny Wong, had voted against their personal beliefs to toe the party line on the issue of gay marriage in order to achieve steady, shared progress, but that the Palestinians could not wait.

But Aly responded that Payman and the Australian Parliament could better help the Palestinians by calling for an immediate ceasefire and the provision of humanitarian aid.

“I think what the people of Palestine urgently need now is a ceasefire and humanitarian aid,” Aly said.

“Recognition of Palestinian statehood by Australia would send a strong signal, but it would not lead to statehood. And it would not lead to a ceasefire or increased humanitarian assistance, which is now urgently needed.”

The youth minister said that during a parliamentary motion, Payman neither voted for a separate Labour motion nor discussed recognizing Palestine as part of a two-state solution.

“I’m not trying to make it sound easy here. It’s not always easy. But there is a very democratic process within our party,” Aly said.

“Fatima comes from the party, she was a member and took part in party processes. So she knows and has always had the opportunity to raise her voice in the past and I hope she felt comfortable doing so. Why she didn’t do it that day is a question she has to answer herself.

“I hope she stays, I really do. I have fought long and hard to ensure that we have diverse representation in Parliament… whether that’s diversity in terms of background, ethnicity, age or gender. I think that diversity is better for our party.”