‘Wine into you': Muslim Senator Fatima Payman's shock claim about older, male MP
Independent Senator Fatima Payman has revealed the older male MP who allegedly made sexually suggestive comments to her at work 'wasn't Labor'.
Ms Payman, who is Muslim and does not drink alcohol, claimed an older, male colleague told her 'let's get some wine into you and see you dance on the table'.
She alleged she was targeted at work when attending a social event as part of official parliamentary business.
'It wasn't Labor. I reported it to PWSS and they dealt with it,'' she told news.com.au.
She hasn't explained if the man in question was from the Coalition or another party grouping such as an independent.
PWSS is the Parliamentary Workplace Support Scheme that was set up in the wake of Brittany Higgins' allegations that Parliament did not have a standalone HR department to make complaints about workplace behaviour.
'I don't drink and I don't need to be made... to feel left out because you do,' she told ABC's Triple J radio station.
'I told this colleague, 'Hey, I'm drawing a line, mate', and moved on to making a formal complaint.'
Senator Payman has argued that calling out inappropriate behaviour could help others.
'Being clear is being kind,' she said.
'You actually are helping somebody understand what your boundaries are by speaking up.'
Payman slams 'big blokes' in Labor Party
Senator Payman quit the ALP in July slamming Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his chief of staff as 'two big blokes' who hauled her into a disciplinary meeting at the Lodge to suspend her from the ALP caucus without allowing her to bring a support person.
She then joined forces with so-called preference whisperer Glenn Druery, bringing him in as her chief of staff in August last year.
She was suspended indefinitely by the Prime Minister after she vowed to cross the floor again if necessary on the ABC Insiders program.
'It felt quite intimidating to be there with the Prime Minister and his chief of staff, you know, two big blokes, I guess, and just me,' she told ABC Radio National at the time.
Unionists have long campaigned for the right of workers to bring a support person to employment meetings, but Senator Payman said this was not offered to her at the meeting despite Mr Albanese organising his own witness in the form of chief of staff Tim Gartrell.
'And at that meeting, he gave me the decision of being suspended indefinitely,' she said.
'And suggested that, you know, if I do not want to follow corporate solidarity and come back inside the tent, then I must consider giving up the position that the late that I got elected because the ALP was in front of my name, and that was his suggestion.
'And after leaving that meeting, I had to start thinking about my future and what's to come.'
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