Rogue Labor senator Fatima Payman says she would cross the floor again to support Palestine, defying warnings from the Prime Minister and other senior government leaders.
Senator Payman was suspended from caucus for one meeting after she broke caucus rules last week to vote in support of a Greens’ motion calling for statehood for Palestine.
‘Will you abide by the decisions of the Caucus in the future?’ she was asked by Insiders host David Speers.
‘If the recognition on the state of Palestine was to be brought forward tomorrow, I would cross the floor,’ she said.
The 29-year-old Muslim senator from Western said she respected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who had what she said was ‘a stern-but-fair conversation’ with her after she crossed the floor.
Mr Albanese suspended her from caucus meetings for the rest of the sitting fortnight.
‘That’s the prerogative and the decision the Prime Minister came down to,’ she said in a pre-recorded interview.
‘When I made the decision on the Senate floor to cross, I did it with the understanding that this could lead to expulsion and costing my Labor membership.’
Senator Payman said she wanted to remain in the Labor Party, bur realised she had upset some colleagues with her actions.
‘I understand there’s been various colleagues who’ve been upset with me and frustrated. I’ve received the cold shoulder,’ she said.
‘But there has been an overwhelming majority who have stood up in solidarity doing their welfare checks.
‘And I know there are Caucus members who have advocated for this matter longer than I’ve been on this Earth for.’
Senator Payman said she was taking the action because Palestinians were suffering in the war between Hamas and Israel.
‘These Palestinians do not have 10 years and so that’s why I will use what is within my power as a backbench senator to continue advocating for a just and lasting solution,’ she said.
‘And I think that’s what fair ns want.’