Now-independent senator Fatima Payman said Anthony Albanese’s office "planted the seed" of her crossing the floor, and is hinting she will consider forming her own party.
“(Last week) the Prime Minister’s office had reached out to my office asking if I was going to cross the floor and I didn’t think that that was an option, because I had abstained previously,” Senator Payman said on ABC News.
“It wasn’t until that seed was planted that I started thinking about what it meant to cross the floor.”
When asked if she would sit as an independent or form a political party, Senator Payman said that “anything can happen”.
The WA senator also walked back comments from this morning in which she called her meeting at the Lodge with the Prime Minister “intimidating”.
"It may have been incorrect of me… to have considered it as intimidating," she said.
"It felt quite confronting. Maybe that was the correct word, because I wasn't expecting to be indefinitely suspended.”
Politics Now: Dutton accused of 'fuelling Islamophobia': Khawaja
Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has accused Peter Dutton of 'fuelling Islamophobia from the very top' in a speech regarding potential Muslim candidates in Western Sydney electorates.
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PM's office 'planted the seed' about crossing the floor: Payman
Albanese reaffirms commitment to local government
The Labor government will look to collaborate with local councils in improving disaster preparedness, essential services, the clean energy transition and housing, Anthony Albanese says.
In a speech addressing the Australian Council of Local Government, the Prime Minister outlined areas of focus for intergovernmental collaboration.
“We wouldn’t get far with our national priorities unless we worked with local governments, who are delivering for people every day,” Mr Albanese said in his address.
“Among those priorities are being better prepared for natural disasters, delivering essential services, driving the transformation to clean energy, and delivering more secure and affordable housing.
“These are all challenges that the different levels of government are dealing with.”
This week, local council representatives were invited to Parliament House to view proceedings in the last sitting week before the midwinter break.
“When the Australian people gave Labor the privilege of forming government, one of our priorities was fulfilling our vow to bring the Australian Council of Local Government back to the table,” he said. “Councils are the lifeblood of Australia’s cities, towns, and regions.”
“Last year we reinstated the ACLG after a decade– but the first one ever was back in 2008, when I was minister for local government.
“I remain very proud of the role I was able to play in the original story and in the sequel. Both times I was driven by my profound appreciation of just how essential local government is in the health and strength of our nation.”
Dutton accused of 'fuelling Islamophobia' in scathing attack
Australian cricket icon Usman Khawaja has accused Peter Dutton of “fuelling Islamophobia” in a speech regarding potential Muslim candidates in Western Sydney electorates.
Speaking at parliament earlier today, the opposition leader said the Albanese government was moving towards a minority government following senator Fatima Payman’s move to the crossbench.
“In a minority government in the next term of parliament, it will include the Greens, it'll include the green teals, it'll include Muslim candidates from Western Sydney, it will be a disaster,” he said.
“If you think the Albanese government is bad now, wait for it to be a minority government with the Greens, the green teals and Muslim independents.”
Khawaja responded to the statement on Twitter/X late on Thursday and said the comment was an example of “bigotry at its finest”.
“As a Muslim who grew up in Western Sydney I find this comment from someone who is running for PM an absolute disgrace,” he said.
“Bigotry at its finest. Fuelling Islamophobia from the very top.”
Payman’s defection empowers Labor's opponents: Swan
Labor president and former treasurer Wayne Swan has claimed Fatima Payman’s defection to the cross bench has empowered the party’s opponents.
“Senator Payman’s decision to place herself outside the Party can only empower Labor’s opponents on the far right and on the left who have always opposed progressive foreign, economic and environmental policy,” Mr Swan said in a statement released on Thursday afternoon.
Pointing to Labor’s long standing support of a two-state solution as a resolution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, Mr Swan said Labor had made its greatest strides when it was united.
“Labor has worked hard to secure peace in the Middle East, and has consistently supported a two-state solution,” he said.
“Our past achievements tell us there is simply no substitute for the power of collective action to deliver social progress domestically and internationally.”
– Jack Quail
Payman rules out joining the Greens
Now-independent senator Fatima Payman will not join the Greens, and has not ruled out voting against Labor on policies beyond ‘conscience votes’.
“I’m still figuring what (my voting) would look like, obviously I’ve held onto Labor values for a long time, you can say I’m grieving a little,” Senator Payman said on Sky News.
“This is going to have a huge impact on me and the way I conduct myself in this place, it’s no longer just rocking up to the chamber and following the whip’s lead, it’s actively understanding pieces of legislation and doing the research myself.
“I will not be joining the Greens party.”
Senator Payman said she had been frustrated that the Labor party did not advance its position on recognising Palestinian statehood since entering government.
“For me it was a matter of if not now, then when,” she said.
“The Labor party did utilise every single day to work really hard, so hopefully that continues. But this was a policy area that I would really like to see them shift.
“This is not about Hamas … This is about recognising (Palestinian statehood) and we know that by recognising the state of Palestine would not end the current situation on the ground, the atrocities that are being committed day in and day out
“I just didn’t see how you could talk about the peace process without the recognition.”
Muslim Vote statement lays out support for Payman
The Muslim Vote has released a statement following the departure of Fatima Payman from Labor and says it will "support anyone who shares our principles of justice and fairness".
But the organisation stressed they were not a political party but a grassroots organisation aiming to better inform voters.
"We are a united collective dedicated to empowering Australian Muslims in the electoral process. The principal aims of The Muslim Vote are to educate and mobilise our community at the grassroots level," the organisation said in a statement.
"We believe it is crucial for the voices of Australian Muslims to be heard and their issues represented without the need to conform to any party policy. Our commitment is to provide essential information on voting, key election dates, and comprehensive analyses of party policies that impact our communities.
"By promoting informed participation, the Muslim Vote helps ensure that the interests of Australian Muslims are well-represented in the political arena."
The statement said the sentiment for genuine representation was "stronger than ever" and amplifying these voices was crucial.
"The Muslim Vote is not a religious campaign but a political one," it said.
"Negatively framed media stories and political discourse are dishonest attempts to incite fear and confusion. Uplifting community political literacy and participating in political advocacy should be embraced and celebrated."
Payman 'figuring out' how she will to vote in the Senate
Fatima Payman says she is "still figuring out" how she will vote in the senate and has not committed to supporting Labor on most bills.
But the first-term senator, who deferred to the crossbench this afternoon, ruled out joining the Greens.
ALP's national platform said the next Labor government would recognise Palestine, which Senator Payman said she would "really like to see" a shift on the matter.
"When we keep talking about the two-state solution we've already recognised Israel, so why can we recognise Palestine?" she said on Sky News.
"We do want to see both Israelis and Palestinians live side by side in harmony."
She said the call "from the river to be sea, Palestine should be free" was about self determination and distanced herself from the protestors who took to the roof of parliament to unveil a sign declaring as much on Thursday.
"People are angry… but they shouldn't be trespassing in buildings where they are because it isn't helping the cause, but it's also putting themselves and the public at risk," she said.
"So I would caution people, albeit I do understand that tensions are high and people are feeling frustrated that they're not being listened to and heard."
Senator Payman said she had been supportive of many groups seeking to educate communities about how to vote and use their vote for change, such as The Muslim Vote.
The Muslim Vote is a grassroots organisation that seeks to amass Muslim votes across the country to shift the stance on Gaza at the election.
Senator Payman defended engaging with Glenn Druery days before she crossed the floor and hosed down the suggestion she had been considering breaking from the party for some time.
Shorten rages over $1bn delay to NDIS reforms
Bill Shorten has continued his criticism of the Coalition’s refusal to pass legislation designed to clampdown on rorting in the National Disability Insurance Scheme until after the winter recess, pointing to estimates which show the delay will cost in excess of $1bn in taxpayer funds.
“The problem is [the Coalition] want to now delay it for another eight weeks … sometimes you can delay things in the Senate and really the sun comes up the next day and the chicken still lays eggs,” the NDIS Minister told question time.
“But sometimes things get delayed in the Senate which has a cost. This legislation, if it's delayed, is, according to the actuary, … is going to cost taxpayers $1 billion in waste.”
Mr Shorten argued the Opposition was deliberately stalling the legislation when the benefits of passing the reforms were very clear.
“Do you think it is right that people can claim tarot cards and clairvoyants on the scheme? You don't need eight weeks to work that out,” Mr Shorten said.
“Do you think that it should take eight weeks to work out if people should be able to get cuddle therapy? Of course you don't.
“For whatever reason, you are taking eight weeks and $1 billion to answer obvious questions.”
– Jack Quail
Coalition MPs brandish ‘Jim’s Inflation’ signs
Several Coalition MPs have brandished sign’s during question time reading ‘Jim’s Inflation’, stylised to parody the logo of the ‘Jim’s mowing’ franchise.
The image, featuring Jim Chalmers donning Jim Penman’s signature bucket hat, was most prominently displayed on a laptop belonging to shadow treasurer Angus Taylor.
Responding to questions over Labor’s policy on tax lobbed by Mr Taylor, the Treasurer took aim at the signs.
“Thanks to the Member for Hume for his question and his dodgy prop that he thinks is really clever,” Dr Chalmers said.
“He is waving it around in a desperate hope someone will notice him up there but there are no photographers up there.”
– Jack Quail
Gillespie botches question over tax treatment of utes
A question by Nationals backbencher David Gillespie over the tax treatment of utes to Anthony Albanese has confused members across the House.
“Will the prime minister guarantee the government that he leads will not make any changes to the tax treatment of the tradie … the work ute? The benefit, uh … sorry,” Dr Gillespie asked question time.
The question was met with widespread confusion, with House Speaker Milton Dick asking Dr Gillespie to restate his question as he couldn’t hear it.
“I heard and it doesn’t help Mr Speaker,” Mr Albanese retorted.
Dr Gillespie went on to reframe the question but confusion still reigned.
“He had three cracks and I'm still not sure what the question was,” Mr Albanese said.
“Let me just say this. The member should ask about what we are doing, not what we are not doing.”
– Jack Quail
Orchestrating a fight: Hobart stadium finds another opponent
Hobart’s controversial AFL stadium has another opponent: the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, which fears it poses an existential threat to one of the world’s best small orchestras.
Rare fish doing swimmingly
In a breakthrough for one of the nation’s rarest fish, the Maugean skate, scientists report ‘great’ success in breeding the species in captivity, dramatically turning around earlier setbacks.