Labor Senator Payman Says Party Colleagues 'Exiled' Her Following Her Suspension

Following an indefinite suspension from Labor Party caucus on Sunday, Western Australia senator Fatima Payman said she has been cold shouldered by colleagues, as she declared she would defy the party stance if required.

On Monday, Payman posted on Facebook that her party colleagues have "exiled" her, and that she has been removed from internal group chats, caucus meetings, etc.

The suspension happened after Payman stressed during an interview with ABC's Insiders that she would cross the floor again if a Senate motion on Palestine statehood came up.

Payman wrote on Facebook, "Yesterday, the prime minister suspended me indefinitely from the Australian Labor Party caucus. Since then, I have lost all contact with my caucus colleagues. I have been removed from caucus meetings, committees, internal group chats, and whips bulletins. I have been told to avoid all chamber duties that require a vote including divisions, motions and matters of public interest."

Last week, Labor had refused to penalize Payman, after she defied her party to cross the floor when she voted for the Palestine motion, submitted by Greens in Parliament. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had confirmed in Parliament that Payman will not be suspended or expelled, though she was barred from the Labor caucus for the remaining Parliamentary sessions.

Albanese on Monday said Payman was suspended "not because of her support for a policy position," but because she broke the "team rules," The Guardian reported.

Payman "chose to ... disrupt Labor and what we are doing today, the day before the most significant assistance that has been given to working people in a very long period of time," he stated. "By her own actions, Senator Payman has placed herself outside the privilege that comes with participating in the federal parliamentary Labor Party caucus, and I informed her of that yesterday."

Labor had informed Payman that she may return to the caucus if she accepts to be a member, according to an ABC News report.

"No individual is bigger than the team. And Fatima Payman is welcome to return to participating in the team if she accepts she's a member of it," Albanese said.

Labor senator Anne Aly, who was the first Muslim woman elected to the federal Parliament, said she did not agree with Payman's approach.

"Each of us walks our own journey ... I choose to do things in a way I think will make a material difference on the ground to people in Palestine. Fatima chooses to do it her way," she said.

Meanwhile, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Jenny McAllister said Payman's future with the party rested solely on her.