Payman Says Albanese Ignored Thank-You Text
Independent senator Fatima Payman says the Prime Minister did not reply to her message thanking him for recognising a Palestinian state.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Remote Work
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Independent senator Fatima Payman says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ignored her text thanking him for recognising a Palestinian state. Payman, who quit Labor in 2024 over its position on the Gaza conflict, also disputes how her crossbench staffing is decided.
Why it matters
The dispute highlights the limited resources available to independent federal politicians and the influence the Prime Minister can exert over crossbench staffing. It also shows how the Gaza conflict continues to strain relations between Labor and former members.
Albanese says Payman has one more staffer than when she was a Labor senator, while Payman rejected staffing offers made in November 2024. The number of staff each side claims is not independently confirmed.
The players
Fatima Payman
Independent senator who quit the Labor Party in 2024 over its handling of the Gaza conflict and founded the political group Australia's Voice.
Anthony Albanese
Prime Minister of Australia and leader of the Australian Labor Party, who has dismissed Payman's staffing complaints.
The details
Payman said Albanese did not respond to her text thanking him for the government's recognition of a Palestinian state in September 2025. She also said she was offered extra staff if she sided with Labor or abstained on parliamentary votes, and that she rejected those offers.
Timeline
November 2024: Payman rejected a meeting invitation at the Prime Minister's office on migration legislation.
September 2025: The government announced recognition of a Palestinian state.
26 October: Payman compared her situation to the alleged attack on Helen Haines during Senate Estimates and later apologised.
Roadmap
Payman's dispute follows her 2024 departure from Labor over Gaza and the government's September 2025 recognition of a Palestinian state. It illustrates the tensions that have shaped relations between Labor and crossbench members since that decision.
Crossbench members rely on staffing allocations to do their work, so decisions on those allocations affect how well independent politicians can serve their electorates. The dispute may influence how future independent senators negotiate support from the government.
The takeaway
Staffing and access for independent politicians can become a point of political leverage, so readers should watch how such arrangements are negotiated in the Senate.
Further reading
Explore more Remote Work coverage for context on workplace arrangements in Australia.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Mail Online.
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