Senator Fatima Payman first won office in 2022 and dominated headlines this year when she crossed the floor over Labor’s refusal to recognise a Palestinian state.
Her life since then has been a self-described “whirlwind.”
Listen to our conversation with Fatima Payman here:
Now sitting as an independent, Senator Payman revealed to Antoinette Lattouf on The Briefing the inner workings of the Albanese government that led to her resignation.
She also discusses whether she was prepared for the wave of bigotry and intense scrutiny she and her family experienced.
“It’s disappointing really, it shouldn’t have ended this way for me at least, and for the Labor Party,” Senator Payman said.
“Rules that were made 130 years ago [are] a lot more important to the Labor Party than reflecting the realities and the communities on the ground that we try to embrace the multiculturalism.
“But it appears to be just confetti that we love to sprinkle around and photo opportunities that we love to take because it gives an image that we want the world to see Australia as, but not fully embrace it.”
Senator Payman’s story begins in Afghanistan in the 1990s, where she and her family fled the Taliban to Pakistan before starting a new life in Australia.
As a proud and determined independent voice for Western Australia, Senator Payman is committed to breaking stereotypes, saying she is “more than a Muslim senator.”
You can now WATCH The Weekend Briefing over on the Listnr Newsroom YouTube channel!
Every weekend we speak to interesting people, doing exciting things. Send us your Weekend Briefing suggestions on Instagram at @thebriefingpodcast!