Anthony Albanese’s drastic act after Labor rebel threatened to ignore his warning

Rogue Labor Senator Fatima Payman has been suspended indefinitely from caucus after saying she would speak again in support of Palestine, defying warnings from the prime minister and other senior government leaders.

“By her own actions and statements, Senator Payman has placed herself outside the privilege that comes with participating in the federal parliamentary Labor Party caucus,” an Albanian government spokeswoman said.

“If Senator Payman decides that she will respect the caucus and her Labor colleagues, she can return, but until then, Senator Payman has been suspended from participating in federal parliamentary Labor Party caucus meetings and processes.”

Senator Payman was initially suspended for one meeting after breaking group rules last week by voting in favor of a Greens motion calling for state formation for Palestine.

“Will you abide by the group’s decisions in the future?” Insiders host David Speers asked her.

“If the recognition of the state of Palestine were brought forward tomorrow, I would cross the floor,” she said.

The 29-year-old Muslim senator from Western Australia said she respects Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who she said had “a stern but fair conversation” with her after she left the plenary.

Mr Albanese suspended her from caucus meetings for the remainder of the meeting.

“That is the privilege and the decision that the Prime Minister has come to. “When I made the decision to cross on the Senate floor, I did so with the knowledge that it could lead to expulsion and the cost of my Labor membership,” she said in the pre-recorded interview.

Senator Payman said she wanted to remain a member of the Labor Party but realized she had angered some colleagues with her actions.

‘I understand that there have been several colleagues who are angry and frustrated with me. “I got the cold shoulder,” she said.

“But there is an overwhelming majority who have stood up in solidarity and carried out their welfare checks.

“And I know there are members of the Caucus who have been advocating for this cause longer than I have been on this earth.”

Senator Payman said she took this measure because Palestinians are suffering from the war between Hamas and Israel.

“These Palestinians do not have 10 years and that is why I will use what is within my power as a conniving senator to continue advocating for a just and lasting solution,” she said.

“And I think that’s what honest Australians want.”

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles told Insiders that Senator Payman had been elected as a member of the Labour Party and had to abide by the rules.

“For all of us who are members of this team, the solidarity of the Caucus – what it means to be a member of the team – is fundamental to each of us,” Mr. Marles said.

Mr Albanese suspended her from group meetings for the remainder of the two-week term.

“It is at the heart of our obligations as members of the Labor Party and the great privilege we have to serve the Australian people in Parliament.”

The Albanian government supports the recognition of a Palestinian state as part of a peace process towards a two-state solution.

An attempt was made to amend the Greens’ motion to include that recognition should take place ‘as part of a peace process in support of a two-state solution and a just and lasting peace’.

Senator Payman told reporters after crossing the chamber that she voted in favor of the Greens’ motion because “we cannot believe in two-state solutions and only recognize one.”

“It was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make, and while every step I took across the Senate floor felt like a mile, I know I was not alone,” she said.