Senator Fatima Payman has officially quit the Labor Party and will move to sit on the crossbench as an independent.
Senator Payman’s confirmation of the move on Thursday afternoon comes less than a week after she told ABC’s Insiders that she would cross the floor again over the issue of Palestinian statehood. Payman had been “indefinitely suspended” from the Labor caucus last week when she crossed the floor in the Senate to vote in favour of a Greens motion to recognise a Palestinian state.
The first-term senator said she was torn over the decision to quit but had a clear conscience in announcing her resignation from Labor.
“Unlike my colleagues, I know how it feels to be on the receiving end of injustice,” Payman said. “My family did not flee from a war-torn country to come here as refugees for me to remain silent when I see atrocities inflicted on innocent people.”
“Witnessing our government’s indifference to the greatest injustice of our times makes me question the direction the party is taking. I am torn, deeply torn. On one hand, I have the immense support of the rank-and-file members, unionists, the lifelong party volunteers, who are calling on me to hang in there and to make change happen internally. On the other hand, I am pressured to conform to caucus solidarity and toe the party line.”
“I see no middle ground and my conscience leaves me no choice.”
Payman said her resignation was immediate and she had informed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of her decision.
“I have informed the prime minister that, effective immediately, I will sit on the crossbench to represent Western Australia,” she told the media.
“This definitely has been the most difficult decision of my life, and it has put me in a very tough position.
“And like I told the prime minister on multiple occasions and my colleagues, that this is a matter that I cannot compromise on, it is a matter on principle, and when I voted to cross the floor, it was on conscience.”
Senator Payman also suggested that the Labor caucus’ views on Palestine no longer reflect the views of the community, in particular of people who are involved in the Labor Party.
“I understand the Labor party to be representative of the rank-and-file members, the unionists, the people who make up what we are, what the Labor party is as a party,” she said.
“And I felt that my conscience would not let me compromise on any issue that was important to so many rank-and-file members and unionists, and people out there that looked up to the Labor party as the party that would champion human rights, a party that would stay firm and have that strength of conviction.”
Senator Payman said she had received death threats and abusive emails from members of the public since crossing the floor.
Asked whether there was space for dissenting voices within the Labor caucus, Senator Payman said more dissenting voices from backbenchers should be welcomed.
“There is room for dissenting voices, but there are many that feel the same way, the dissenting voices from backbenchers should be welcome, especially if they are representing a specific demographic or constituency that feels strongly about a matter like this. This was not a piece of legislation per se,” she said.
“It was on a matter that we have in the platform and that is why I felt very strongly and had to vote with my conscience on it.”