Latest news with #Payman
Sydney Morning Herald
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Acting like a medieval king': PM faces multiparty push on staffing
Every MP is also allocated five electoral staff, who typically deal with constituency matters, media and stakeholders rather than legislation. The government gave every MP an extra electoral staffer in the previous parliament. The Coalition joined the outcry over staffing allocation independence – long made by others in the parliament, including crossbenchers Lidia Thorpe, David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie, who avoided cuts this time – when its own allocations were slashed last month. A government spokesperson said Labor had also had its staff reduced this term, though they did not say by how many. 'At the start of this parliamentary term, personal staffing allocations have been reduced for the government, opposition and the Greens,' they said. The government has previously said the opposition has little right to criticise Albanese's decision to cut its staff because it had planned to cut public service jobs if it won. Staffing for the opposition is typically set relative to the government, which would have given it more staff between fewer MPs because Labor won so many seats at the election. Australia's Voice senator Fatima Payman, who defected from Labor last term, said she was the only senator without personal staff, despite repeated requests to the prime minister for more resources. Payman attempted to establish an inquiry into staffing on Thursday – a move she said had broad support including through 'a very unlikely alliance' with One Nation, whose staff remained the same despite adding two more senators – into how the prime minister decided to allocate staff, but it failed at the last moment, 34 votes to 29. 'An hour before I got onto my feet, my team received notice that the Greens won't be backing it,' she said. 'Now it begs the question, what kind of dirty deal was made that they pulled out last minute? '[The Greens] talk a big game on transparency and integrity, and this is when it mattered most because we would have been able to investigate what's really going on, and you back down. Why?' Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said her party was waiting for an independent review of MP staffing from the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service before considering alternative interventions. The review will examine parliamentary workloads and make recommendations on broad resourcing allocations and support services for offices. 'Australians want politicians to focus on the issues impacting the community, not on ourselves or the trimmings of elected office,' Hanson-Young said. The 2021 Jenkins review into parliament's toxic culture found stressed and overworked employees were a risk factor for inappropriate behaviour and a negative work environment. Payman said she did not have the resources to represent such a large state on every issue, her staff were working 15- to 16-hour days, and they weren't paid appropriately.
The Age
16 hours ago
- Politics
- The Age
‘Acting like a medieval king': PM faces multiparty push on staffing
Every MP is also allocated five electoral staff, who typically deal with constituency matters, media and stakeholders rather than legislation. The government gave every MP an extra electoral staffer in the previous parliament. The Coalition joined the outcry over staffing allocation independence – long made by others in the parliament, including crossbenchers Lidia Thorpe, David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie, who avoided cuts this time – when its own allocations were slashed last month. A government spokesperson said Labor had also had its staff reduced this term, though they did not say by how many. 'At the start of this parliamentary term, personal staffing allocations have been reduced for the government, opposition and the Greens,' they said. The government has previously said the opposition has little right to criticise Albanese's decision to cut its staff because it had planned to cut public service jobs if it won. Staffing for the opposition is typically set relative to the government, which would have given it more staff between fewer MPs because Labor won so many seats at the election. Australia's Voice senator Fatima Payman, who defected from Labor last term, said she was the only senator without personal staff, despite repeated requests to the prime minister for more resources. Payman attempted to establish an inquiry into staffing on Thursday – a move she said had broad support including through 'a very unlikely alliance' with One Nation, whose staff remained the same despite adding two more senators – into how the prime minister decided to allocate staff, but it failed at the last moment, 34 votes to 29. 'An hour before I got onto my feet, my team received notice that the Greens won't be backing it,' she said. 'Now it begs the question, what kind of dirty deal was made that they pulled out last minute? '[The Greens] talk a big game on transparency and integrity, and this is when it mattered most because we would have been able to investigate what's really going on, and you back down. Why?' Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said her party was waiting for an independent review of MP staffing from the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service before considering alternative interventions. The review will examine parliamentary workloads and make recommendations on broad resourcing allocations and support services for offices. 'Australians want politicians to focus on the issues impacting the community, not on ourselves or the trimmings of elected office,' Hanson-Young said. The 2021 Jenkins review into parliament's toxic culture found stressed and overworked employees were a risk factor for inappropriate behaviour and a negative work environment. Payman said she did not have the resources to represent such a large state on every issue, her staff were working 15- to 16-hour days, and they weren't paid appropriately.
Sky News AU
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Australia's Voice leader and former Labor senator Fatima Payman calls on government to be transparent about TikTok's influence on social media ban
Australia's Voice leader and former Labor senator Fatima Payman has called on the federal government to be transparent about whether TikTok lobbyists pressured it to ban YouTube for kids. On Wednesday, revealed that the office of Communications Minister Anika Wells had an 'introductory' meeting with TikTok representatives after the Minister took over from Michelle Rowland in May, who now serves as Attorney-General. Since then, reports emerged that Minister Wells would ban YouTube for kids, a key TikTok demand. Senator Payman, who left the Labor Party in 2024, has now asked if the Chinese-owned and controlled company pressured the minister for a YouTube ban, calling on the government to come clean over the details. She said Minister Wells should explain why the company, which is banned from government devices, liaised with officials prior to the government reconsidering its initial commitment to exempt YouTube from the social media ban. "If this report is correct, it raises extremely important questions about the government's susceptibility to lobbyists and possibly the Chinese government," Senator Payman said in a statement. "It's a bit of a coincidence that the Prime Minister initially backed YouTube's exemption from the ban, but then backflipped following this meeting and in the run-up to an extensive Prime Ministerial trip to China. "Is this all related? We don't know because the minister is not responding to questions from the media. So I want some answers." Senator Payman then questioned whether Chinese business interests were "dictating government policy". "I have been against this from the beginning, and the government's approach has been all over the shop," the senator said. "This social media ban is fundamentally flawed. "If we want to protect our kids online we need real solutions that are practical and evidence based, and not just designed for headlines." Senator Payman quit the Labor Party in July last year following a disagreement with the Albanese government over its position on Palestine. She said it was not a matter she could compromise on, and opted to sit on the crossbench to represent Western Australia. According to the 2023 Senate Select Committee on Foreign Interference through Social Media, TikTok poses 'unique national security risks' to Australia, But even though the app was banned from government devices, Minister Wells' office met with TikTok representatives, arguing they were key 'stakeholders' in the social media ban legislation. asked Minister Wells to reveal which lobbyists met her staff on behalf of the Chinese owned company, and what was discussed. Minister Wells' office declined to share that information. Sky News understands that the minister was not present at the meeting.
Sky News AU
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Political rebellion erupts as Albanese government attempts to sneak YouTube into social media ban after laws passed
In an extraordinary post-legislative twist, an unlikely alliance of lawmakers have warned the Albanese government against attempting to quietly ban YouTube after its social media laws were already passed. After lobbying from Chinese-owned platform, TikTok, and eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, Communications Minister Anika Wells has backflipped on Labor's previous commitment to exempt YouTube from the under-16 social media ban. There have been reports that Ms Wells has already decided to add YouTube to the ban, which she has not publicly denied. The move has triggered backflash from an unlikely alliance across the political divide, including Australia's Voice senator Fatima Payman, Centre Alliance MP Rebekha Sharkie and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson. The diverse set of politicians has warned that the government appears to be pursuing post-legislative amendments, with little evidence to support any change. Ms Sharkie said the government was lumping YouTube in with interactive social platforms, like TikTok and Instagram, without proper scrutiny. 'This legislation was rushed through without the appropriate consultation and consideration,' Ms Sharkie told 'Now YouTube is being brought into the mix to be treated like any other platform under the legislation. But I don't think that's the right move. 'YouTube should not be included in the ban because it's different to other social media where people are actively interacting. (It's) used for information, education and instructional purposes.' Senator Payman also took aim at the government's handling of the policy, accusing it of relying on 'band aid' fixes and a chaotic rollout. 'I have been against this ban from the beginning, and the government's approach has been all over the shop,' Ms Payman said to 'This social media ban is fundamentally flawed. For instance, you don't necessarily need an account on YouTube to access most of the content. 'The government has previously acknowledged that YouTube is an educational resource, so we need to tread carefully and a blanket ban is not appropriate.' While Ms Payman expressed concern about YouTube's advertising model targeting children, she stressed that 'banning it entirely doesn't seem appropriate'. Ms Hanson, who rarely finds common cause with Ms Payman, echoed her criticisms, warning the government not to renege on the YouTube exemption. She said the law had been passed with a clear understanding YouTube would remain accessible and that 'the case has not been made' for changing that. 'It's the thin end of the wedge, with this Labor government and bureaucrats like Julie Inman Grant looking to monitor and control everything we see and do,' Ms Hanson said. 'This is obvious government overreach putting us on the path to communism… It has started with the kids under the guise of protecting them from bullies. 'It will end up with every Australian adult being forced to identify themselves whenever they want to do a simple Google search.' Ms Hanson added that YouTube remains 'an important resource for Australians, and particularly school children.' 'No matter what happens, I'm still going to let my grandchildren use YouTube. It's not the business of the government or Grant to determine what our children can see," she said. The backlash comes after the entire senate crossbench, along with Nationals Senator Matt Canavan and Liberal Senator Alex Antic, opposed the original bill in 2024. The law, set to take effect in December 2025, will ban under-16s from using social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat. Platforms failing to take 'reasonable steps' to verify users' ages risk fines of up to $50 million. Lobbying by TikTok and public pressure from Ms Inman Grant has prompted Ms Wells to reconsider the status of YouTube in the ban. TikTok, which is owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, has argued that exempting YouTube would be a competitive disadvantage for them. The company has employed Labor-aligned lobby firm Anacta Strategies to advise them on their government relations strategy. Sky News has confirmed that TikTok held meetings with Ms Wells' office — though the government has refused to disclose who attended or what was discussed. Ms Inman Grant, meanwhile, has publicly supported removing YouTube's exemption, but initially declined to release the full research behind her recommendation. That report — released after freedom of information requests were made — did not support her arguments for the ban, and the evidence 'may be subject to a range of biases'. Shadow communications minister Melissa McIntosh criticised the lack of transparency and said there were still no details on how the ban would be implemented. Despite the review, several educational content creators told they had been shut out of the consultation process. YouTube creator Shannon Jones, from the globally popular children's channel Bounce Patrol, said she had contacted the minister's office but received no response. 'I reached out… but haven't heard back… Everything is just being done so fast, like it's all being considered and decided in the space of a week,' she said. The government has not confirmed when a final decision will be made on YouTube's status.
Scottish Sun
26-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
I pumped £3.2MILLION into doomed revamp of crumbling historic hotel – now I'm selling up for £1.. but there's a catch
The hotel once hosted Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens SUITE DEAL I pumped £3.2MILLION into doomed revamp of crumbling historic hotel – now I'm selling up for £1.. but there's a catch Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A PROPERTY developer has been forced to put a derelict hotel on sale for just £1 after pumping £3.2 million into its restoration. Na'im Payman spent three years trying to revive The Royal Hotel in Kettering, Northants back to its former glory. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Na'im Payman bought the Royal Hotel in Kettering in 2020 Credit: SWNS 7 The 147-year-old landmark once hosted Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens Credit: SWNS 7 A CGI render shows the property developer's vision for the hotel Credit: SWNS 7 The plans included cafe, restaurant, co-working spaces and a wedding venue Credit: SWNS He bought the historic Grade II-listed hotel back in December 2020 for £2.2 million. Payman then forked out another million pounds to refurbish the 147-year-old landmark, which once hosted the likes of Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens. The businessman had grand plans of transforming the 43-bedroom hotel into a wedding venue, restaurant, nightclub and cafe. However, he has run out of funding before he could complete his dream project. read more on money HOUSE THAT This house has appeared on DOZENS of hit TV shows - but would you recognise it? The Victorian landmark has now been put on the market for the "unprecedented" price of just £1 with no reserve. Just a quid would get prospective owners the main hotel building with a grand ballroom, a billiard room with a beautiful glass dome, former bar and multiple function spaces. The offer sounds almost too good to be true, and property-hunters should be warned that there is a catch. The crumbling hotel's revamp is estimated to cost another £1million to finish. Mr Payman said: "It is with great regret that we're selling the Royal Hotel in Kettering. "This hotel has held a particularly special place in my heart, given its prominent role in the town and the deep affection the local community has for it. "I had truly hoped we would be able to restore it in a way that honoured its legacy and served as a catalyst for the revitalisation of Kettering's town centre." Payman poured nearly £1million to rebuild parts of the property while preserving its historically significant features. The businessman said the hotel showed great potential of becoming "a popular venue for weddings and events". The development plans also included opening a mini-spa, bridal salon, co-working spaces, cafe and restaurant. Following a strong demand from the community after the closure of local Odeon, Payman added a boutique cinema into the project. He continued: "Unfortunately, despite my best efforts over the past year, I have been unable to secure the remaining funds required to complete the project. "We had an investor willing to lend £3 million but they pulled out, so we have run out of time and money. "As a result, I have had to make the very difficult decision to sell. "I sincerely hope that someone who shares our vision for the future of the Royal Hotel will step forward to purchase the property and carry the project through, rather than see it converted into apartments." The future owners will receive all drawings and heritage reports to help them bring the project to life. Payman added: "I anticipate it would still cost at least £1 million to see the vision through and hope potential buyers will see the amazing potential it still holds." The Duke of Buccleuch reconstructed the hotel in the Jacobean style in 1878, and in 1896 he sold it to Pickering, Phipps and Co., brewers. Charles Dickens stayed in the hotel in 1835 while reporting the Northamptonshire elections for the Morning Chronicle. The hotel's name changed in 1844 when Queen Victoria stopped in room 12 on her way to Stamford, Lincs. Construction work began on the ballroom to restore it to its former splendour after it was used by the Home Office to shelter migrants. All the bedrooms were stripped back to renovate the interiors while preserving the historically significant Victorian architectural elements. The hotel features commercial shopfronts and a café facing the Market Place, along with a sizeable nightclub in the basement. Estate agents Howsold say on their property listing: "A truly unique opportunity to acquire and re-imagine one of Kettering's most iconic buildings. "The Royal Hotel, a Grade II listed, late-Victorian landmark, is now available for purchase, offering a substantial footprint in the town's primary commercial centre. "With proposed architectural plans available, the Royal Hotel offers the chance to create a modern hotel and premier events venue, restoring a treasured piece of local heritage to its former glory." Bidding offers can now be made online before the hotel goes under the hammer on July 31. 7 Payman poured in £3.5million into his dream project Credit: SWNS 7 The Victorian features of the hotel have been carefully preserved Credit: SWNS
