Why Albo won’t expel rogue senator

A senior Labor figure has ruled out the expulsion and suspension of first-time West Australian senator Fatima Payman after she voted against the government on a Greens motion recognising the statehood of Palestine.

On Tuesday afternoon, the 28-year-old, defied her colleagues and became the first Labor member to cross the floor in 18 years.

While her move risked expulsion or suspension from the ALP, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles unanimously put a stop to any speculation and said Senator Payman would remain in the party.

“This is a difficult issue. Fatima has made clear that she continues to maintain her Labor values that she wants to represent the people of WA in the Senate as a Labor senator, as she was elected at the last election … There won’t be any expulsions or any activity of that kind,” he told the ABC on Wednesday morning.

He said it was the government’s priority to maintain social cohesion amid the “complexity and tragedy in the Middle East,” and Labor would not be “going around expelling people … for having particular views here”.

“That wouldn’t be living what we are seeking to do in trying to promote social cohesion in this country,” he said.

Following the controversial vote, the Prime Minister’s office was also quick to nip speculation, citing there were no formal penalties for members who voted against the party.

“There is no mandated sanction in these circumstances and previous caucus members have crossed the floor without facing expulsion,” a government spokesperson said.

“As reflected in our amendment, the government supports the recognition of a Palestinian state as part of a peace process towards a two-state solution.”

Strict rules governing how members of the Labor caucus vote prevent MPs and senators from crossing the floor except under exceptional circumstances on matters of conscience.

It will now be up to the Labor caucus to determine what and if penalties will be placed on Senator Payman, however a decision to expel or suspend a member is ultimately a decision for the party’s national executive.

Appearing on Sunrise on Wednesday morning, Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said Senator Payman “expressed a view”, and said the government was still focused on trying to bring about a ceasefire and a two-state solution in the Middle East.

“We are not going to solve peace in the Middle East through Greens motions in the Senate,” she said.

“Our government is working through the proper channels to get to where we all want to be here, and that is, peace and for innocent people to stop dying in a conflict in which they have no particular part.”

Asked what would happen to Senator Payman, Ms O’Neil said the party would: “Go through a process”.

“We’ve got lots of people watching right now who are seeing the news every night where innocent children are dying in a conflict which they have no particular role in for no good reason, and it would be impossible I think not to be moved by that,” she said.

“I think not to be moved by that. I think Fatima Payman feels really strongly about these issues, for very understandable reasons, and she’s expressed a view in the Senate.”

Speaking after the vote, Senator Payman said she still had the “core values of the Labor Party,” and said she hoped to continue serving in the party.

“It was the most difficult decision I have had to make, and although each step I took across the Senate floor felt like a mile, I know I did not walk alone,” she told reporters in Canberra.

However the move was lashed by Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin, who demanded she be held accountable for her actions.

“The fact that Senator Payman could no longer accept the Government’s position of supporting a Palestinian state as part of a negotiated two-state solution is astonishing,” he said.