‘Are you waiting for me to be attacked?’ Fatima Payman slams PM over staffing
News Source
•Tue, 27 Oct 2026 12:18:15 GMT
📰 What Happened
Independent senator Fatima Payman has attacked the prime minister over the staffing given to her office. She asked whether he was waiting for something like the attack on Helen Haines to happen to her staff. Payman left Labor in 2024 and now sits on the crossbench.
Her comments came as Anthony Albanese told the Labor party room he would give a swift response on MP safety. He raised the idea of duress alarms for electorate offices. MPs from all sides described threats, abuse and violence aimed at them and their staff.
🔍 The Backstory
MPs and senators get a set amount of money to run their offices, based on rules set by parliament. Crossbench members often say those rules leave them with fewer staff than MPs in the big parties. Payman has argued for months that her office is under-resourced.
The debate has become sharper since the alleged attack on Helen Haines outside her Victorian office. The eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, told a Senate hearing that she and her family have also faced online abuse.
🎯 Why It Matters
MPs pass laws that affect everyone, and their staff are ordinary workers. If offices are unsafe or short of staff, local voters get slower help with problems like visas and welfare.
Independent senator Fatima Payman has attacked the prime minister over the staffing given to her office. She asked whether he was waiting for something like the attack on Helen Haines to happen to her staff. Payman left Labor in 2024 and now sits on the crossbench.
Her comments came as Anthony Albanese told the Labor party room he would give a swift response on MP safety. He raised the idea of duress alarms for electorate offices. MPs from all sides described threats, abuse and violence aimed at them and their staff.
MPs and senators get a set amount of money to run their offices, based on rules set by parliament. Crossbench members often say those rules leave them with fewer staff than MPs in the big parties. Payman has argued for months that her office is under-resourced.
The debate has become sharper since the alleged attack on Helen Haines outside her Victorian office. The eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, told a Senate hearing that she and her family have also faced online abuse.
MPs pass laws that affect everyone, and their staff are ordinary workers. If offices are unsafe or short of staff, local voters get slower help with problems like visas and welfare.