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[Labor senator] Fatima Payman says she's been 'exiled' and is 'reflecting on future' within Labor (www.sbs.com.au)

submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Anthony Albanese said Fatima Payman disrupted the government's messages around cost of living relief by conducting an interview to declare she would cross the floor again to vote in support of Palestinian statehood.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (2 children)

I'm not sure I understand what the actual issue is here and/or the rules of Australian parliment. Are all party members supposed to vote the same?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, the Labor party has a rule that you have to vote with the party. It's insane and she's the one person willing to standup to their genocidal policy

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

That's wild and it looks like they're one of the biggest politcal parties.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

Yeah that's correct. Our system isn't as strongly two-party as the US, and it's getting less and less so over time, but for most of the last 80 years it's been two-party between Labor and the Liberal/National coalition. Labor being our equivalent of America's Democrats, and the Liberal-Nationals the Republicans.

But unlike America, party discipline in Australia tends to be very strong. Voting across party lines is very rare, especially in Labor.

[–] ikidd 2 points 4 months ago

Welcome to the parliamentary party system. There are some votes you can avoid the party line with, but if the whip declares it a party vote, it's a party vote and you won't get your party endorsement for the next election if you step out of line.

Once FPTP voting is done and there's a majority, it's pretty much a party dictatorship after that. Caucus decides what legislation will be enacted, and the caucus/cabinet is chosen by the leader. Any debate in the legislature is purely for show, and sometimes they'll take suggestions/amendments from the floor, but usually not.

It's another stupid system that barely beats a monarchy.