‘Bizarre’: Rogue senator returns fire

Newly minted independent senator Fatima Payman has hit back at her former party’s claims that her dual citizenship could put her in breach of the Constitution.

In the aftermath of Senator Payman’s departure from the Labor Party last Thursday, The Australian reported that senior Labor figures raised concerns over the former refugee’s Afghan citizenship and said her eligibility as a senator must be tested in the High Court.

Under section 44 of the constitution, federal parliamentarians cannot hold dual citizenship; however, Senator Payman has previously said she had taken reasonable steps to renounce her citizenship from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

Appearing on ABC News Breakfast, five days after her high-profile defection, the first-term senator was asked if she had any “reflections” on the “obvious backgrounding that’s been happening in the past few days”.

She described the commentary as “bizarre”.

“This may set a precedence that is not really constructive to our modern-day Australia that we’re living in, but in saying that, I’m not going to dwell on what people have been doing,” she said.

“It’s quite flattering that people still want to talk about me and give information that I’d given to them in confidence, but I’m really focused on what’s to come, you know, what is going to serve the best interests of Western Australians in my capacity as their independent senator.”

Senator Payman also vowed to “try going to every single town” across the vast state.

Asked whether her former party could rely on her vote in the senate, where Labor already must work with the crossbench to pass legislation, Senator Payman wouldn’t show her hand.

“It will depend on the bills that are brought forward,” she said.

“I’ll have to see, have conversations, make sure that I have consultation on the ground with Western Australians and make sure that I’m representing their voice.”