Exiled Labor Senator Fatima Payman is increasingly isolated within the party, but finds support outside

In summary:

Labor Senator Fatima Payman has faced public criticism from senior colleagues after she was suspended indefinitely from the Labor Parliamentary Party.

Senator Payman was suspended after voting with the Greens last week and saying she would continue to oppose the parliamentary party’s position on recognizing Palestine.

What’s next?

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has left the door open for Senator Payman’s return.

Labor Senator Fatima Payman came under heavy fire from her colleagues on Monday morning after she was expelled from the federal party for her disregard for the Palestine issue.

The senator was summoned to the Prime Minister’s residence in Canberra on Sunday afternoon after she said she would continue to vote according to her conscience on the recognition of Palestine.

There she was informed that she would be suspended from the parliamentary party. This step did not constitute a complete expulsion, but left open the possibility of her returning, provided she agreed to abide by the Labour party’s rules.

But in the meantime, she is in limbo. On Sunday, she told ABC’s insiders that she does not want to leave the Labor Party but will vote for any future Senate motion to recognize Palestine.

“Fatima does it her way”

Several Labor MPs, including fellow Western Australian Anne Aly, made scathing comments about her conduct on Monday morning.

Ms Aly, the first Muslim woman elected to federal parliament, has often deviated from the party line on the Gaza conflict, but told ABC’s RN Breakfast that she disagreed with Senator Payman’s approach.

“Each of us follows our own path… I choose to do things in a way that I believe makes a material difference to the people on the ground in Palestine. Fatima chooses to do it her way,” she said.

Senator Payman insisted that her decision to vote for a Greens motion to recognise Palestine last week was in line with the Labor Party’s platform, which sees recognition as “a key priority” and supports a two-state solution.

“We cannot continue to support a two-state solution while only recognizing one,” she said.

But Ms Aly said the government’s position was better reflected in an amendment it was seeking, which added that recognition should be part of a “just” peace process.

“(That) is exactly what was proposed… She could have voted for it if she represented Labour Party values.”

Senator Payman abstained from voting on the Labor Party amendment and only took part in the final vote on the Green Party amendment.

The Labor Party’s constitution requires that all elected members must vote for the agreed party position on all parliamentary matters, unless the party decides to allow a free vote of “conscience”.

This practice has caused controversy in the past, for example when Senator Penny Wong voted against the Green Party’s push to introduce same-sex marriage in 2008 and respected the party’s decision despite her strong opposition.

How to respond to breaches of this rule is up to the Labour group, a group that includes all elected politicians in both houses of Parliament. The group will hold its regular meeting on Tuesday.

Senator Payman’s suspension from the parliamentary group does not mean that she will be suspended from the Labor Party; that is a decision that can only be made by the party’s national executive committee.

Furthermore, the party cannot remove her from the Senate; for the duration of her suspension, she remains loyal to the Senate as an independent MP.

“No individual is greater than the team”

Anthony Albanese told ABC News Radio that Senator Payman had thwarted the government’s plan to discuss the cost of living on the day the tax relief was due to come into force.

“Today we want to talk about tax cuts… And instead you have moved seamlessly on to the actions of one individual aimed at undermining the collective position of the Labor Party,” he said.

“No individual is greater than the team. And Fatima Payman is welcome to join the team again if she accepts that she is a member of it.”

Social Minister Amanda Rishworth told ABC that Senator Payman had “made it very clear that she does not want to play by Labor Party rules” and that she had “responsibilities” to fulfil in order to remain in the Labor caucus.

“I think it is the right decision by the Prime Minister.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers also supported the Prime Minister’s decision and said he believed the party would be most successful if it acted together.

However, he added that he “cares about the views of the Muslim community… I understand the pressure they feel, the pressure we all feel in the face of these terrible events in the Middle East.”

Resources Minister Madeleine King, Western Australia’s most senior government official, said “solidarity” was at the heart of the Labor Party’s work.

“It has long been clear to everyone that we need to come together and show solidarity with our colleagues in order to move forward together after a discussion. That is how we do it and that is how we have always done it.”

Before its indefinite suspension, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said it was a “difficult situation” and that the government had “tried to act with restraint” because it wanted to preserve “social cohesion”.

However, he added: “We are all members of the team. We are privileged to serve in this Parliament not because of who we are as individuals, but because the word Labour is next to our name when we stand for election.”

Josh Burns calls for unity

One Labor MP who has publicly offered his support to Senator Payman is Josh Burns. He told ABC he disagreed with her stance but did not want further punishment.

Burns, a Jewish MP who described his government’s support of a UN bid for Palestine’s UN membership as a “miscalculation”, said the party should “set an example to the Australian community of how to debate difficult issues respectfully”.

Senator Payman said Burns was “a good friend” who “looked out for me more than any other colleague” and said some other colleagues had given her the “cold shoulder.”

But she also said on Sunday that she had received support from party members and others in the community.

Several pro-Palestinian and Muslim community groups have supported Senator Payman, including the Labor affiliate Labor Friends of Palestine NSW.

“We stand with Senator Payman,” the group said in a post on social media platform X on Sunday.

“Your support for the recognition of Palestine is consistent with party policy and the strong beliefs of most Australian Labor Party members and voters. The Federal Government must listen to you, not silence you.”

In summary:

What’s next?

“Fatima does it her way”

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