Akerman: Australia’s most useless senator was elected by 0.01 per cent of WA voters – she’s nobody’s Voice but her own

Fatima Payman has called her new party Australia’s Voice but, given she only fell over the Senate line, it’s a stretch to say she represents anyone’s voice, writes Piers Akerman.

It says a lot about the flaccid state of Anthony Albanese’s ALP that a Muslim independent ex-Labor senator has launched her own party to run against it.

West Australian senator Fatima Payman, probably the most ineffectual member of the Senate, said on Wednesday she will run candidates across the nation in next year’s general election under her new banner Australia’s Voice.

Given she was elected to the Senate for Western Australia in 2022 with 1681 direct votes, 0.01 per cent of the votes cast, and fell over the line only because Labor placed her in the No.3 position on its ticket, it’s a stretch to say she represents anyone’s voice.

Had the election been decided on direct votes, she would have been No.11 in the vote for six senators.

Born in Kabul in 1995, Payman migrated with her family to Perth in 2003 and took citizenship in 2005.

Senator Fatima Payman. Picture: NewsWire/Martin Ollman

A graduate of Australian Islamic College, she studied pharmacy at the University of WA, was president of Young Labor WA and an organiser for the United Workers Union, before joining the staff of WA Labor Legislative Councillor Pierre Yang.

Yang failed to declare his membership of the Northeast China Federation and the Association of Great China, alleged affiliates of the Chinese Communist Party. He said he forgot the requirement and resigned from the organisations.

An analysis of Payman’s performance by The West Australian newspaper reveals she didn’t bother to vote on more than 90 per cent of legislation in the senate since she became an independent in July.

She told the media she has no candidates or policies but she would like funding. Well, who wouldn’t?

And she has preference whisperer Glenn Druery working for her. Druery specialises in organising preference deals for micro-party candidates running for upper houses, but he will run up against new federal electoral rules at the next election, making it unlikely Payman will see a return on her money.

Taking a cue from the vacuous Kamala Harris perhaps, Payman seems to be targeting voters who care more about the vibe than anything that will actually have an effect.

Preference whisperer Glenn Druery.

“This is more a movement than a party,” she said. “It’s a movement for a fairer, more inclusive Australia. Together we will hold our leaders accountable and ensure your voice – Australia’s Voice – is never silenced.”

Silence is something she knows a lot about. Before exiting Labor, she made 15 speeches, not one on any of the legislation before the Senate and some of them attracting ridicule. She hasn’t spoken on any legislation since she left the Labor Party, according to an analysis of Hansard, and voted in only five of 57 divisions.

For this ephemeral representation she is paid $233,643 and is supported by five full-time staff.

Albanese has suggested she test her support by recontesting her seat next year, three years before she is due to face an election.

Her supporters thus far are the National Imams Council and Labor Friends of Palestine. Greens leader Adam Bandt praised her for crossing the floor to support his bill promoting Palestinian statehood, before she resigned from the ALP.

West Australian voters have more serious issues on their plates than statehood for a Middle Eastern group dominated by designated terrorist groups.

While any civilian suffering in war is regrettable, every reliable poll since October 7, 2023, by the Arab World for Research and Development and the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research, shows an overwhelming majority of Palestinians support – and continue to support – the rapes, torture, beheadings and murders that took place in southern Israel a year ago.

Senator Payman may be hoping to gain votes from the minority of Australians who hold the same repugnant views.

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