‘Naughty corner’: Anthony Albanese silent on Fatima Payman’s staffing request

The ex-Labor senator was forced to reject 20 applications this week amid Anthony Albanese’s apparent refusal to allocate her more staff.

Fatima Payman at Parliament House in August. The WA senator is urging Anthony Albanese to align her staffing with other crossbenchers. Picture: Martin Ollman

Senator Fatima Payman believes Anthony Albanese has shunted her to a “naughty corner” since her break from Labor with his apparent refusal to allocate her office more staff after she was forced to reject about 20 applicants this week amid the impasse.

The staffing stoush has rumbled since Senator Payman sensationally quit Labor in July, and the WA independent has since pushed the Prime Minister for a further two staffers, to align her office with that afforded to other crossbench senators.

This week, after opening applications for two positions in early August – having assumed Mr Albanese would relent on allocating at least the one extra senior policy role – Senator Payman was forced to shoot off about 20 rejection emails to applicants.

“Regrettably, the Prime Minister has neglected to offer me the staffing support that he has extended to other independent senators,” she wrote to one applicant.

“As a result, the position has been withdrawn at this time.”

The senator currently operates between her Perth base and her Parliament House office with five staff allocated from her base electorate allowance, which includes her chief of staff, “preference whisperer” Glenn Druery.

During sitting weeks, Senator Payman, Mr Druery and a young staffer are attempting to scrutinise bills while manning the office, meaning her small team is stretched between WA and Canberra.

Senator Payman said that the situation had now become “ridiculous” and that it felt Mr Albanese was keeping her office in the “naughty corner” with a “silent treatment” to her requests for clarity.

“It’s been a challenge … I’m not sure they realise how it impacts me representing WA the best that I can,” she said.

Senator Payman said that her current team was trying to simultaneously ensure issues across WA were addressed while then jumping into parliament mode.

“It takes a toll as we try to stay atop of the political climate and its moving plates,” she said.

“And there’s so many important pieces (of legislation) but we have to make hard decisions and look where we can best put our efforts to amplify WA’s voice.”

Anthony Albanese signs off on staffing levels for crossbenchers. Picture: Gaye Gerard

Senator Payman said she had no choice but to reject applicant after applicant, but hoped Mr Albanese would soon give the green light to allow her to dip back into the talent pool.

“While sending these letters I was thinking ‘please just hang in there, I need you, but I haven’t got the resources right now’,” she said.

Senator Payman said she “constantly” emailed Mr Albanese’s office but heard nothing back, neither a time frame nor acknowledgment, and it felt she was being “singled out”, pointing to crossbenchers from different political wings backing her.

“How do you best represent your state when you don’t have the proper resources?” she asked.

“It comes across as petty, they didn’t appreciate my dissenting views but we parted ways.

“Can we have a level of professionalism as adults?”

But The Australian understands that Senator Payman’s request is subject to the regular staffing procurement processes in the Prime Minister’s office, which are the same for whoever wants an extra allocation.

Senator Payman first wrote to Mr Albanese seeking the extra two advisers afforded to other crossbenchers in early July and has had to abstain on voting when her limited resources had to be redirected elsewhere.

In August, senators Ralph Babet, Jacqui Lambie, David Pocock and Lidia Thorpe all urged on Mr Albanese to provide Senator Payman the same extra two staff afforded to them, calling for a review of the system that affords the prime minister of the day the power to choose staffing levels.

For example, the previous government allowed four full-time staff at the adviser classification, which Mr Albanese proposed lowering to just the one upon his 2023 election, but who later reached an agreement with Senate crossbenchers to allocate an extra one senior staff and one assistant.