Labor senator Fatima Payman says she would cross parliament again to support Palestine, defying warnings from the Prime Minister and other senior government leaders.
Senator Payman was suspended from the caucus during a meeting after she broke caucus rules last week to vote in favour of a Greens motion calling for the creation of a state for Palestine.
“Will you abide by the Caucus’s decisions going forward?” Insiders host David Speers asked.
“If the recognition of the State of Palestine were presented tomorrow, I would cross the room,” he said.
The Muslim senator from Western Australia, 29, said she respected Premier Anthony Albanese, who had what she said was “a stern but fair conversation” with her after she crossed the room.
Mr Albanese suspended her from parliamentary group meetings for the remainder of the fortnight’s session.
“That is the prerogative and the decision that the Prime Minister has reached,” he said in a pre-recorded interview.
“When I made the decision in the Senate to cross, I did so with the understanding that this could lead to my expulsion and loss of my membership of the Labor Party.”
Labor senator Fatima Payman (pictured) says she would cross the floor again to support Palestine, defying the Prime Minister’s warnings.
Senator Payman said she wanted to remain in the Labor Party but realised she had upset some colleagues with her actions.
‘I understand that there have been several colleagues who have felt upset and frustrated with me. I’ve gotten the cold shoulder,’ he said.
‘But there has been an overwhelming majority who have shown solidarity by doing their welfare checks.
“And I know there are members of the Caucus who have advocated for this issue longer than I have been on this Earth.”
Senator Payman said she was taking this action because Palestinians were suffering in the war between Hamas and Israel.
“These Palestinians are not 10 years old, and that’s why I will use everything in my power as a backbencher to continue to advocate for a just and lasting solution,” she said.
“And I think that’s what fair Australians want.”
The 29-year-old Muslim senator from Western Australia said she respected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured)