28-05-2025
Australia's first hijab-wearing senator says senior asked her to 'drink, dance'; who is Fatima Payman?
Australia's Independent Senator Fatima Payman has lodged a formal complaint with a parliamentary watchdog after an older male colleague allegedly made sexually suggestive and culturally insensitive remarks to her during an official function.
The Afghan-born senator, who made history as the first parliamentarian to wear a hijab in the Australian Senate, told national broadcaster ABC that the colleague had 'had too many drinks' when he made the remarks.
'He said: 'Let's get some wine into you and see you dance on the table,'' Payman, 30, recounted. 'I told this colleague, 'Hey I'm drawing a line mate', and moved on to making a formal complaint.'
Payman, who does not consume alcohol due to her Muslim faith, described the comment as not only inappropriate but isolating. She said she felt targeted for her cultural and religious beliefs during the incident.
The complaint was filed with the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service (PWSS), an independent body established following the fallout of the Brittany Higgins case in 2021, which exposed deep-rooted issues of sexual misconduct, bullying, and a culture of excessive drinking within Parliament House.
In an interview with triple j Hack, Senator Payman said the PWSS responded swiftly and that she felt 'looked after and taken care of' throughout the process.
Payman, previously a Labor senator, quit the party in 2024, criticising the government's response to the conflict in Gaza. She has since been vocal about parliamentary reform and the need to uphold respectful conduct, especially toward women and culturally diverse members.
While Payman praised the PWSS process, other senators like Lidia Thorpe have criticised it for lacking transparency and effectiveness, calling for stronger enforcement mechanisms within the newly established Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission.
