Labor Senator Fatima Payman has crossed the floor to vote against her party during a motion brought about by the Greens to recognise the state of Palestine.
The Labor Government and Coalition tried to move changes to the motion of Palestine’s recognition.
Payman said she was told she risked being expelled from Labor as a result of crossing the floor. However, she voted with the Greens.
It’s the first time a Labor Government member has crossed the floor since 1988.
Fatima Payman
Fatima Payman was born in Afghanistan and elected as a Labor Senator for Western Australia in the 2022 election.
She was one of the youngest people elected to the Parliament and the first person to regularly wear a hijab.
Last month, she delivered a statement describing Israel’s invasion of Gaza as a “genocide”, which is different from the Government’s official position on the war.
Greens motion
This afternoon, the Greens presented a motion in the Senate.
It called on the Senate, as a matter of urgency, “to recognise the State of Palestine”.
The Government moved amendments to the motion, calling for Palestine to be recognised “as part of a peace process in support of a two state solution and a just and enduring peace”.
However, it was voted down by the Greens and Coalition.
Payman’s vote
The Greens put forward their original motion after a series of amendments failed.
Fatima Payman voted with the Greens and independent Senators David Pocock and Lidia Thorpe.
Afterwards, she said she was aware that she risked being expelled from the Labor Party as a result, although she wanted to continue as a Labor member.
Crossing the floor
When MPs and Senators vote against the party they belong to, it’s called ‘crossing the floor’.
Liberal and National members are generally able to vote against their party’s bills if they don’t agree with them. For example, Tasmanian Liberal Bridget Archer often crosses the floor.
However, the Labor Party, to which Payman belongs, binds members to vote with the party. Some Labor MPs have been expelled from the party for crossing the floor.
