‘Senate seats going begging’: Divisive Senator Fatima Payman poised to launch political party

Fatima Payman is poised to launch her own political party in an attempt to harness people’s anger with Labor and expand the Senate crossbench.

The independent WA senator quit Labor in July over a dispute about how fast the party was moving towards recognising Palestinian statehood.

At the time, she denied she was joining forces with movements in western Sydney to create a political party specifically targeting Muslim voters but left the door open to setting up her own organisation.

Senator Payman has hired Glenn Druery as her chief of staff. Druery is a long-time political operative known for his work getting micro-parties elected to parliaments around the country, including in WA.

“It’s my firm belief that there’s a senate seat going begging in every state to a minor party that’s clever and knows how to play the game,” Mr Druery said on Thursday.

“The door is open and you should watch this space.”

He believes Labor is worried about what Senator Payman will do because its supporter base is already being eroded by the Greens and other minor parties across the country.

Since splitting from Labor, Senator Payman has toured WA regional towns, participated in an Australian Story documentary and garnered national headlines for a speech she gave to the Senate using slang targeted at generations Z and alpha.

The senator has also been in a battle to get more support, with unanswered requests to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to give her two extra staff beyond the five electorate officers every parliamentarian is automatically entitled to hire.

New political parties can apply for registration with Australian Electoral Commission if they have an elected federal representative or can prove they have 1500 members.

The application process takes at least three months and no new parties can be registered once a federal election is called.

The next election is due to be held by mid-May.

Senator Payman holds her seat in the Senate until 2028.