Senator Fatima Payman was stunned when asked directly whether she thought the October 7 attack on Israel was an act of “terrorism or resistance.”
Ms Payman appeared on ABC’s 7.30pm program on Wednesday night, hours after announcing her new political party, ‘Australia’s Voice’.
The senator, who represents Western Australia, resigned from Labor and joined the crossbench in July over irreconcilable differences with the party over the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
At 7:30 p.m., she was asked by host Sarah Ferguson how she would describe Hamas’ actions on October 7 last year, after the first anniversary of the attack.
‘According to you, the actions by Hamas on that day are an act of terrorism or an act of resistance?’ Ferguson asked.
After initially pausing, Ms. Payman said the question “denigrates the Palestinian destiny.”
“I condemned what happened on October 7 and the atrocities… the loss of any human life must be condemned,” said Ms Payman, who wore a badge with both the Aboriginal and Palestinian flags together.
“Any form of violence against civilians must be condemned, and we must recognize that the Palestinians and now the Lebanese community are being harmed, but so are the Israeli communities.
Senator Fatima Payman appeared on the ABC’s 7.30 program on Wednesday evening, hours after announcing her new political party: ‘Australia’s Voice’
“And it’s about how do we make sure that we raise awareness, but at the same time we don’t isolate one group and pit one group against another.”
Ferguson asked whether Israel had a “right to self-defense” after the Hamas attack on October 7.
‘We heard it from the International Court of Justice [International Court of Justice] and the ICC [International Criminal Court] that Israel as an occupying power, occupying a people, has no right to claim self-defense,” Ms. Payman responded.
“Again, I am not a humanitarian lawyer or expert, but based on what I have seen and understood, Israel’s atrocities and the genocide it continues to inflict on the Palestinian people and now the crossing of its borders must be called out and Australia, as a friend of Israel, should play a stronger and braver role.’
Earlier in the interview, Ms. Payman was repeatedly pressed about what her policies would be in her new political party.
She dodged the question several times and gave vague answers, while Ferguson continually asked her to be “specific” about what she wanted to achieve.
“Australia’s Voice will be a celebration of inclusivity, about being bold and courageous, about being pragmatic, about listening to Australians out there and finding local solutions to those local problems,” Ms Payman said.
Ms Payman (pictured with Anthony Albanese) blasted the Labor Party as she spoke to Sarah Ferguson on Wednesday evening
“In the coming days we will formalize our party platform and Australia’s Voice will talk to people on the ground and formulate a very well thought out policy platform.”
Ms Payman added that she would be happy to appear again at 7.30pm once she had finalized her policy.
Ferguson also asked the senator why she chose the name Australia’s Voice as it was just days before the first anniversary of the failed Voice to Parliament referendum.
Mrs Payman said she came up with the name of the party herself after a conversation with her husband.
She was then asked whether the timing of her announcement was appropriate given its proximity to the anniversary of the referendum.
‘Yes, that’s very bad Too bad the Voice The referendum failed and elders that I have spoken to have told me that they are shocked that their situation and indigenous affairs are currently much worse than That was before the referendum,” she replied.
Ferguson interrupted to say the question was about the word “Voice” and asked who she consulted with before choosing the title.
Ms Payman declined to name specific Indigenous elders she had consulted with, but said she had spoken to “community elders, community groups and so many people on the ground”.
The senator, who represents Western Australia, resigned from Labor in July and joined the crossbench over irreconcilable differences with the party over the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
‘No one owns the word ‘Voice’. There’s a show on TV called The Voice,” she said, referring to the Channel Seven programme.
‘Soh for me it was about encompassing something that is inclusive and involves everyone Australians’ voices must be heard.
“Unlike the Labor Government, we will not put Indigenous issues and Indigenous affairs in too difficult a basket.
‘We are going to consult, talk and create awareness.’
It comes after Ms Payman was called out by Indigenous Australians, including gold medalist and ex-Labor senator Nova Peris, over her use of the term ‘Voice’.
“So many of our gang are grieving, so many Jewish Australians are grieving, and she chooses today to launch this totally insensitive party name,” Ms Peris said. The Australian.
“It is breathtakingly disrespectful and a complete misappropriation of yet another aspect of the story and emblems of my people. The Australian Labor Party gave Ms Payman a voice. This rogue senator has abused that privilege in a self-proclaimed manner.
“It is not a voice of or for Australians. Certainly not Indigenous Australians, Jewish Australians or any Australian with moral clarity.”