Senator Fatima Payman will launch a new political party ahead of the next election, confirming she has recruited “disenfranchised Labor party supporters” to join her.
In July this year, the former Labor Senator was suspended from the Australian Labor Party (ALP) after crossing the floor to support the Greens over the issue of Palestinian statehood. Payman subsequently quit the ALP, saying “my conscience leaves me no choice”.
Over the weekend, Payman, who now sits as an independent Western Australian Senator, revealed she would be launching a new political party, with a policy focus on aged care, the housing and cost-of-living crises and the climate crisis.
During a press conference, Payman clarified her party, which is yet to be named, would not be religion based, nor a “single-issue party”.
On Monday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded to Payman’s announcement. Speaking to the Australian Financial Review, the Prime Minister said Payman “should test democratic support for her actions” with her new party.
In comments published in The Sydney Morning Herald this morning, Payman hit out at Albanese and accused him of intimidation tactics. She also confirmed her party will run in all states, including several marginal seats and potentially Albanese’s own seat of Grayndler.
“Damn straight I’ll be testing support for my actions,” the Senator said. “If (the prime minister) really wants an electoral arm wrestle, we might even run candidates in Grayndler.”
Payman said she has rallied support from former Labor candidates and supporters to join her new party.
“So many former Labor candidates have reached out expressing their disappointment in the current Labor Party, and how they’re interested in getting involved with whatever I’ve got planned,” Senator Payman said.
“This is before I’ve even launched, so I think once we’ve launched, many more disenfranchised Labor supporters and voters are going to join in.
“Just because I’m a woman of colour, a woman of faith, from Western Australia, he might expect me to just take it as he dishes it out, or feel intimidated by the comments. I think the Prime Minister needs to look at himself in the mirror, and the Labor Party, and do better.”
Payman is currently in the middle of her six-year term as a Senator, elected to the Upper House in 2022. She was the third youngest Senator to be elected.
After Payman crossed the Senate floor in support of the Greens’ motion in July, the Western Australian Senator said she received death threats and abusive emails from members of the public.
Speaking on ABC’s Insiders at the time, Payman said more dissenting voices from backbenchers within the Labor caucus 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.”
It is expected Senator Payman will launch her new political party shortly.