Payman questions Prime Minister over staff denial amid safety threats

Independent Western Australian senator Fatima Payman shocked a parliamentary committee by asking if Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was waiting for a Helen Haines-style attack on her before granting her office additional staff. Payman refused to withdraw the comment during a Monday evening Senate estimates hearing unless she received the requested political staffers.

The Staff Dispute

Payman has spent nearly two years asking Albanese for two additional adviser-level staff members to handle safety threats and workload demands as an independent representative. She noted that other defectors and independents like Lidia Thorpe, Tammy Tyrrell, Nicolette Boele, and Greens leaders Larissa Waters and David Shoebridge received extra personal staffing allocations after leaving their original parties or taking leadership roles. Special Minister of State Don Farrell stated he would raise the matter with the prime minister again.

Security Threats

Payman's office estimates it has referred over 100 incidents to the Australian Federal Police due to abuse and extremist threats. Last November, a Ballarat man pleaded guilty to emailing a threat that a bullet had her name on it. Last Thursday, a Queensland Bunnings worker pleaded guilty to six counts of using a carriage service to menace or harass Payman, including a phone call hoping she would be run over by a truck.

Committee Clash

Payman's comparison to the recent attack on independent MP Helen Haines—who had both legs amputated after being rammed by a four-wheel drive—drew an immediate rebuke from Farrell and Labor committee chair Senator Karen Grogan. Farrell called the suggestion outrageous and urged Payman to withdraw it. Grogan interrupted to call the statement unparliamentary, stating she would raise it with Senate president Sue Lines, while Payman stood her ground and accused the prime minister of being petty.

Context

In the Australian federal parliament, the prime minister holds sole discretion over extra staff allocations for independent and minor party parliamentarians. Security concerns for politicians have drawn heightened attention following recent violent incidents against lawmakers outside their offices.