Senator Fatima Payman could launch political party in ‘matter of weeks’
West Australian senator Fatima Payman is set to establish and launch her own political party as early as next month, compounding electoral woes for Anthony Albanese and Labor.
Former ALP senator Fatima Payman is to launch her own political party in a matter of weeks, compounding electoral woes for Anthony Albanese as an embattled Labor struggles to shore up Muslim support in its heartlands.
Rumours have swirled since the now independent West Australian representative broke from Labor over Palestine in July about her next move, and The Australian understands the senator’s then warning to “watch this space” would soon be put into political action.
Senator Payman and her new chief of staff, “preference whisperer” Glenn Druery, refused to comment when contacted on Wednesday, but political sources in WA believed the party could be launched and registered before November.
It is likely to extend outside of WA, running Senate candidates in each state and even contesting some select marginal lower house seats at the next federal election.
Rumours of an upcoming launch were circulating within ALP ranks and given Mr Druery’s involvement, any party and its campaign would likely work heavily to force preference deals.
It compounds electoral problems for Labor, which is struggling to please any one community, particularly the Muslim, as it attempts to fend off independents targeting its southwest Sydney heartlands and as pro-Palestine members turn to the Greens.
Senator Payman’s party will not be religious-based – she has said as such publicly since her ALP exit – and although she has ruled out any formal affiliation with both The Muslim Vote and Muslim Votes Matter campaigns, both are likely to support her party’s candidates.
The Australian understands the senator’s office has accelerated the building of the requisite party infrastructure since her return to WA after September’s sitting fortnight, with sources spotting Mr Druery at her state office across last week.
The senator and her office remain frustrated with what they believe is “petty” behaviour by the Prime Minister, who has so far not rubber-stamped two extra staff, which would align her allowance with the other crossbench senators.
One senior Labor source conceded it was clear the party’s stance on Israel-Palestine was affecting its support and a Payman-led party would give some dissatisfied members a place to “park their vote”, particularly in any lower house seats it sought to contest.
“Labor voters not happy with our Gaza stance are looking to park their vote somewhere;, you’ve got the Greens but it (Senator Payman’s party) would be another option,” the source said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
“But it could also affect the Greens and take some votes from them, too.”
The developments come on the eve of parliament’s return and as societal tensions fray amid the ongoing conflict and discontent among many in Australia’s Muslim community about Labor’s handling of the conflict, particularly the Lebanese diaspora, after Israel’s attacks on the country’s south and capital this week.
The government is also struggling to contain fallout from Sunday’s rallies across state capitals as police investigate the usage of Hezbollah flags and symbols, which could constitute a criminal offence.
Members of the Lebanese Muslim community, largely but not exclusively based across Sydney’s southwest, remained frustrated with what they believed was Labor’s inability to more strongly rebuke Israel.
On Monday, prominent community leader Gamel Kheir, the Lebanese Muslim Association’s secretary, refused to back any major party, saying he’d be encouraging community members to “vote with their conscience”.
Exclusive demographic and state by state Newspoll analysis on Sunday showed Labor facing a partial rebellion among middle-aged voters and ethnic communities, with statistically significant shifts against Labor in these key demographics over the past three months.
The poll showed Labor’s primary vote falling to 30 per cent in NSW, marking a historical low with a swing against the Albanese government potentially enough to cost it three to four seats in the largest state alone.
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