Labor Senator Fatima Payman has resigned from two parliamentary committees after making “genocide” comments and breaking ranks from her party’s stance on Israel.
Former Liberal MP Nicolle Flint says she hopes Fatima Payman is not using taxpayer funds to get the WA Labor Senator to Melbourne University for pro-Palestine protests.
“If I was a West Australian voter, I’d be asking for a refund,” Ms Flint told Sky News host Peta Credlin.
“I hope everyone has a very close look at her travel report when it is lodged.”
Ms Payman ruptured Labor’s position on Israel having accused the Jewish state of “genocide” in Gaza.
In mid-May, Ms Payman addressed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in a televised statement and asked how many deaths would need to occur “before we say enough”.
“Instead of advocating for social justice, I see our leaders performatively gesture defending the oppressor’s right to oppress while gaslighting the global community about the right of self-defence,” the Western Australian senator said.
She called for sanctions on Israel and declared “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” – a politically charged phrase Anthony Albanese doubled down on condemning earlier in the month.
Senator Payman has broke rank on the government’s stance on Israel, describing the actions of the nation as “genocide”. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman
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According to the Sydney Morning Herald, government sources confirmed Ms Payman quit the Senate Standings Committees on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade and the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade.
“The government’s policy is clear – we support a two-state solution,” a government spokesperson said.
According to the masthead, Labor MPs said they believed Ms Payman stepped down on her own accord to avoid being politically targeted by the Coalition and the Greens, and not ordered to do so by government leadership.
Labor frontbencher Bill Shorten suggested earlier in May he would step down from the foreign affairs committee if he had “that much disagreement”.
Ms Payman addressed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in a televised statement and asked how many deaths would need to occur “before we say enough”. Picture: Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images
Speaking to the ABC, Labor backbencher Josh Burns, who is Jewish, said Ms Payman was a “friend” and the conflict was “really hard”.
“I don’t pretend for one second that the experiences of her and her community have been anything other than devastating,” he said.
“We can have a great concern for the innocent lives of the Israelis as well as the Palestinians.”
During budget week, Ms Payman delivered her statement to two media outlets inside Parliament House, including the SBS, where she said Israel’s war in Gaza was a “genocide”.
“We need to stop pretending otherwise,” she said.
“I ask our prime minister and our fellow parliamentarians: how many international rights laws must Israel break for us to say enough? What is the magic number?
“How many mass graves need to be uncovered before we say enough? How many images of bloodied limbs of murdered children must we see?”
Nationals Leader David Littleproud has called for Anthony Albanese to expel Senator Fatima Payman from the Labor Party after accusing Israel of genocide.
Ms Payman directly addressed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in a speech criticising Israel over the war in Gaza, requesting sanctions be imposed.
“That is an abhorrent statement … and I just don’t see how her position is tenable in the Labor Party or in any committees that the Prime Minister has appointed her to,” Mr Littleproud said.
Questioned on 3AW earlier in May whether Ms Payman should be “kicked” from federal parliament, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said there was “no question she should be”.
Mr Albanese said on the morning of Mr Dutton’s budget reply that Ms Payman’s comments were “not what’s appropriate”.
“What is, is a two-state solution, a two-state solution where both Israelis and Palestinians have the right to live in security, in peace and in prosperity,” Mr Albanese told ABC radio.
“We are seeing enormous grief in Gaza that is having a significant impact on people who have relatives and friends in Gaza, and that is a very traumatic occurrence.
“A lot of trauma is being experienced by Jewish Australians due to the rise in antisemitism, that we’re seeing here where people who happen to be Jewish are being held responsible for actions of the Netanyahu government.”