Payman highlights Labor priority of unity over democracy

Labor senator Fatima Payman’s suspension from her party’s caucus because she crossed the floor on an issue, and has threatened to do so again, raises some interesting points (“Sin bin for rebel who called Labor’s bluff”, 1/7).

Payman was elected on a Labor ticket and you might say she is, therefore, obliged to sing the party song no matter what the circumstances.

On the other hand, you might say she is elected by her electorate to sing its tune on issues rather than what the party heavyweights from the big cities might like her to sing. The latter certainly seems more democratic than the former.

The Coalition, of course, has a different ethos. It allows crossing the floor because it sees itself as a broad church. This is real democracy at work.

The problem here, however, is that Labor’s unity of intent and purpose has ensured there is no division on issues; solidarity is the key to success. The Liberal Party approach often sees disagreements played out publicly, which creates unease and uncertainty among voters.

So what is best: unity before conscience or conscience before unity? Personally I favour the latter but I’m not sure that will win elections. We perhaps need to rethink what is best.

John George, Terrigal, NSW

Senator Fatima Payman is an Australian citizen who recently said she was elected to serve the people of Western Australia. If this is true, a good start would be to wear the Western Australian or Australian flag on her lapel instead of the Palestinian flag.

Riley Brown, Bondi Beach, NSW

While Australia has a diverse population, the country’s two major political parties do not embrace a diversity of opinion.

Western Australian Labor senator Fatima Payman, who crossed the floor to support an independent Palestine, has been exiled by her own party, perhaps to be expelled. Conversely, the Liberal Party allows members to cross the floor. However, politicians are usually subjected to threats of expulsion or non-re-endorsement at the next election cycle.

Independent thought is a basic tenet of any democracy, not to be subjected to the lowest form of common denominator and/or, for example, the advocacy of any self-interest group(s).

Kenneth Gregson, Swansea, Tas

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his government must be running out of wet lettuce leaves to discipline Senator Fatima Payman after she crossed the floor in parliament.

She joined the Greens in defiance of the Labor Party policy regarding Palestine, an action that broke with 130 years of Labor tradition. The caucus normally decides on punishment, but Albanese and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles took the executive decision upon themselves to whip her with a wet lettuce leaf by excluding her from one caucus meeting with the admonition to be a “good girl”. Our weak Prime Minister is afraid of losing votes in his heavily Muslim electorate and will always base his decisions on his personal political survival.

Mary-Anne Higgins, Rose Park, SA

Anthony Albanese’s suspension of Senator Fatima Payman reeks of confected outrage.

ALP parliamentarians are not selected by the grassroots but by union officials and factional bosses. The ALP is a disciplined machine and, given its top-down structure, those appointed to parliament are carefully curated. That Payman’s views were a surprise lacks credibility.

On the contrary, she serves a useful political purpose in telegraphing to Muslim voters in western Sydney that pro-Palestinians have support within the government.

Bruce Watson, Kirribilli, NSW

Fatima Payman should do the honourable thing and move to the crossbench.

Terry Birchley, Bundaberg, Qld