Anthony Albanese’s government could face a “Teal wave” of its own at the next election from new Muslim political organisations targeting the party in key seats.
The Muslim Vote and Muslim Votes Matter are calling for candidates to stand against high-profile Labour ministers and MPs in the upcoming elections.
The groups were formed amid a perception that the Labour Party was not standing up for Palestine.
And in an intriguing twist, both groups have united behind first-term Western Australian Labor senator Fatima Payman after she was “exiled” from the party for crossing the line on a Greens motion recognising Palestine.
This has sparked speculation that she might strike out on her own as an independent, affiliated with the Islamic “united collective.”
Both groups have united around Ms. Payman.
Muslim Votes Matter said: ‘Our community is united and stands firmly behind Senator Fatima Payman. It is deeply concerning that her Labour Party colleagues have not demonstrated the same level of commitment to human rights and justice.
“We will not forget this in the next elections.”
Both groups have united in support of first-term WA Labor senator Fatima Payman as she faces a sustained backlash for crossing the floor and voting her conscience.
Muslim Votes Matter has identified 32 seats to focus on, including 20 where “the Muslim community collectively has the potential to have a decisive vote” in the upcoming election.
“In the past 25 years, no federal government has been elected by a margin of more than 15 seats,” the group said.
Education Minister Jason Clare, Industrial Relations Minister Tony Burke and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen, all representing seats in western or south-western Sydney, are among the senior members of the government who have been put on alert.
Mr Clare’s seat is made up of 31.7 per cent Muslim voters and his margin in the 2022 election was 14.9 per cent.
And in Mr Burke’s seat, 25.1 per cent of voters are Muslim, by a margin of 15.1 per cent.
Education Minister Jason Clare (top) and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen (bottom) are among senior members of the government who have been put on high alert.
Labor’s Peter Khalil, Ged Kearney and Graham Perrett will face attacks on two fronts, and the Greens have also vowed to launch a door-to-door campaign over the coming weeks to ridicule Labor’s treatment of Senator Payman to voters.
Ms Payman has been indefinitely suspended from the caucus and claims she has been “exiled” and intimidated for voting her conscience on the Palestinian issue.
Senior Labour ministers and MPs have been making the rounds of the media for days, and they are all saying, broadly, the same thing: that Payman has not been a team player and that she would be welcomed back into the fold if she promised to toe the party line.
Behind the scenes, Premier Anthony Albanese is understood to be facing pressure to take tougher action against Ms Payman.
But Greens volunteers will begin making door-to-door visits in key constituencies to tell voters that their own representative could do more for the Palestinian issue if they cared, following Payman’s example.
Ged Kearney (pictured) is among the Labour MPs who will face attacks on two fronts, and the Greens have also promised to launch a door-to-door campaign over the coming weeks to explain to voters in their constituencies Labor’s treatment of Senator Payman.
In Burke’s seat, 25.1 percent of voters are Muslim, by a margin of 15.1 percent.
Volunteers will say that if a young, first-term senator can be “brave” and speak out on the issue, then experienced Labour MPs should do the same.
This, coupled with efforts by Muslim groups to unite the Islamic vote in certain electorates, poses a danger to Labour.
The Muslim Vote group said in a statement: “The upcoming federal election marks a change. We will no longer accept being taken for granted.”
‘Australian Muslims are a powerful and united force of nearly a million people acting in unison. The Muslim vote alone is capable of forcing the current government into a minority government.
‘In 2024, we will focus on federal seats where the Muslim vote can influence the outcome.
‘The Muslim vote is a flexible but united group. Our main objectives are to educate and mobilise the grassroots. Community sentiment exists and it is important that their voices are heard and their issues are represented without having to conform to party politics.’
As Payman considers her future within the Labour Party, she has gained support from the Greens and independent groups, as well as the “united collective” behind this Muslim vote initiative.
The organisation said the biggest electoral battles will be in south-west Sydney and Melbourne, and there will be a concerted effort to “create a viable grassroots political infrastructure in our communities”.
“Having an independent voice is a real representation of the issues, unlike a political party,” he said.
‘As Australia approaches the 2024 federal election, the strategic importance of the votes of Muslims, students and the broader Australian population cannot be underestimated for any party aspiring to victory, especially the Labor Party.
‘Historically reliant on support from these key demographic groups, Labour now finds itself in uncharted territory due to its position on Gaza, in particular its stance on Israel’s genocide, which has notably triggered a mass exit among these critical groups of voters.’
The group said that while Muslims have traditionally aligned themselves with the Labour Party, the government’s perceived inaction on Gaza has “sparked significant discontent within these communities”.
‘The consequences of Labour’s current position are likely to alienate a substantial part of its base, which is increasingly vocal and influential in shaping public discourse and election outcomes.’