AustraliaThe Age‘Outrageous’: Payman asks if PM is waiting for attack on her in bitter staff feud
Independent senator Fatima Payman has publicly asked if the PM is waiting for a violent attack on her before granting her extra staff to deal with serious threats.
Senator Fatima Payman invoked the attack on independent MP Helen Haines while asking Senator Don Farrell why she’d been denied extra staff to deal with threats.
Senator Fatima Payman shocked a Senate estimates hearing by asking if Anthony Albanese was waiting for a Helen Haines-style attack before giving her extra staff.
Payman has been requesting two additional adviser-level staff for nearly two years, and her office estimates it has referred over 100 threat incidents to the AFP.
Special Minister of State Don Farrell said he would raise the matter with Albanese again, but Payman refused to withdraw her comment unless the staff were granted.
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