PM asks Fatima Payman not to attend Labor caucus temporarily after crossing floor over Palestine motion
Anthony Albanese has revealed Fatima Payman will not attend Labor’s caucus for the rest of the parliamentary fortnight, despite earlier suggestions the senator would face no punishment for her decision to cross the floor and vote in favour of recognising Palestinian statehood.
On Wednesday the deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, said “there’s not going to be any expulsion or anything of that kind” for senator Payman, who is the first federal Labor parliamentarian to cross the floor since 2005.
Payman voted with the Greens and the independent senators David Pocock and Lidia Thorpe for the unsuccessful Senate motion on Tuesday evening, adding at a press conference that she was “bitterly disappointed” her Labor colleagues had not done the same.
In question time, the opposition leader Peter Dutton queried why Payman had crossed the floor “without consequences” when earlier Labor leaders, including Bob Hawke, had suspended members for doing so.
Albanese replied: “I note the regular tracks of members of the [Liberal National Party] to sit on the same side [as Labor] at various times, something they say is a positive.”
Albanese noted that Labor had unsuccessfully attempted to amend the Senate motion to include the proviso “as part of a peace process in support of a two-state solution and a just and enduring peace”.
“It’s beyond me why the Greens political party or the Liberal party or the National party did not support that position,” he said.
“I met with senator Payman earlier today. She will not be attending the Labor caucus for the rest of this session.”
Guardian Australia understands that Payman remains a member of the Labor party and the caucus but, at the prime minister’s request, won’t be attending caucus for the remainder of the session, which concludes on 4 July.
Payman has been contacted for comment.
Albanese also explained his objection to the phrase “from the river to the sea” is that it “denies the need for a two-state solution”. In May, Payman accused Israel of genocide and used the controversial phrase “from the river to the sea” in defiance of Albanese.
Earlier Marles was asked if there would be “any formal sanction or punishment” for Payman, and replied: “No … senator Payman has made absolutely clear that she continues to seek to represent the people of Western Australia as a Labor Senator.”
“Obviously, she has a strong view in relation to this issue,” he told reporters in Canberra.
Although Labor’s rules allow for expulsion as a possible consequence of crossing the floor, Marles explained that this sanction was not “mandated” and it was “not unprecedented” for a Labor parliamentarian to cross the floor and not be expelled.
Marles said social cohesion in Australia had been placed “under enormous stress” since the Hamas attacks on 7 October and Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
“We need to be doing everything in our power to bring Australians together. This is not a time to be going around expelling people because they have a particular view on this issue,” he said.
Major Muslim organisations around Australia rallied behind Payman. The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) called her decision to cross the floor “courageous”.
In a statement, ANIC said the council supported the Greens motion and expressed their “deep disappointment and dismay” at the Albanese government’s rejection of it.
“Senator Fatima Payman’s decision to cross the floor to support the motion is courageous and importantly, consistent with supporting human rights and justice. We express our deep disappointment and dismay at the Government and Coalition’s refusal to support the motion to recognise the State of Palestine.”
Payman’s decision also drew broad support from Australian Muslim social media pages such as Muslim Votes Matter, who posted that “you don’t need others when you have your principles” superimposed on an image of Payman voting.
The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, said it was “disgraceful” that the government and opposition voted against the motion, accusing Labor of breaching an election promise to recognise Palestine.
“Senator Payman bravely and courageously did the right thing,” Bandt told ABC TV.
The deputy Liberal leader, Sussan Ley, said Payman had broken “caucus solidarity” in a demonstration of Anthony Albanese’s “weak leadership” since 7 October.
“That’s a green light for any Labor member or senator,” Ley told reporters in Canberra. “That if they feel strongly enough about something, if their conscience dictates to them strongly enough about something, they can cross the floor too.”
Related: Toys, spices, sewing machines: the items Israel banned from entering Gaza
The shadow home affairs minister, James Paterson, told Sky News the Greens motion was a “stunt” and it was “extraordinary that a Labor backbencher has decided to vote for it”.
“Make no mistake, this is another very big test of the prime minister’s leadership and one that looks like he’s set to fail. This is a direct challenge to his authority as Labor leader.”
Asked if the decision on Payman meant crossing the floor was not a significant issue, Marles told ABC Radio National: “No, that’s not correct. Of course it’s a significant issue.”
