Fatima Payman quits Labor 'with a heavy heart but a clear conscience'
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-04/fatima-payman-quits-labor-after-palestinian-vote-furore/104056278

"My conscience leaves me no choice," said Senator Fatima Payman.

There's a bunch the ALP could learn from this debacle:
- The ALP should allow more "conscience votes" rather than enforcing the rule that you have to vote along party lines on every Senate vote.
- Senator Payman was right to take a stand for the sake of recognising of Palestinian statehood.
- Senator Payman will now sit on the crossbench, meaning the government is down one Senator, and they might need to learn to negotiate with Senator Payman if they want to pass legislation.
- The ALP's heavy-handed use of rules has pushed-out a rising star.
- Rather than celebrating diversity, the ALP has created division. The ALP has hurt itself in a particularly messy fashion that harms their reputation.
- Albo's ultimatum was childish, and I hope this haunts him.

#AusPol #Palestine #FatimaPayman #SenatorPayman #Albo #AnthonyAlbanese

Labor senator Fatima Payman 'indefinitely suspended' from Labor Party caucus
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-30/payman-indefinitely-suspended-from-labor-party-caucus/104041246

Crossing the floor is rare, and it's not happened in an ALP government since 1988. Senator Payman would not have taken this decision lightly. She knows what she's doing. By acting this way, she's calling-out the ALP. The ALP is being unreasonably inflexible and slow-moving on updating its party policy in support of Palestine.

Senator Fatima Payman is a force for progress.

#AusPol #Palestine #FatimaPayman #SenatorPayman