Isabella Gockel | Australian Foreign Policy Fellow
Image sourced from Nikolas Gannon via Unsplash.
On 25 June 2024, Western Australian senator Fatima Payman crossed the floor in Parliament to join the Greens on a motion recognising Palestinian sovereignty. She was the first Labor senator to cross the floor in nearly twenty years, and has since quit the party over Labor’s handling of Israel’s genocide in Gaza. While many have interpreted her actions through her identity as a Muslim woman, a closer look at Australia’s political climate shows that the senator’s actions reflect the beliefs of many young Australians and signifies that change is on the horizon for Australia’s foreign policy in the Middle East.
Senator Payman and the Labor Party on Palestine
Senator Payman’s actions were a marked departure from Labor’s current policy on Palestine. Labor’s current policy emphasises that international law must be respected by both Israeli combatants and Hamas operatives and expresses concern over the escalation of Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe. However, the government has not condemned the state committing mass atrocities against Palestinians – Israel – and has refused to label the unfolding catastrophe in Gaza as a genocide. This is despite the mounting evidence from the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the International Court of Justice, the United Nations top court.
Senator Payman has faced plenty of criticism for her decision, both from within the Labor Party, and amongst the broader Australian public. Labor Senators Penny Wong and Louise Pratt were scathing of their former colleague, arguing that they both had to vote against marriage equality for a decade because of Labor’s stance, despite being members of the LGBTQ+ community. Senator Payman countered their criticisms by arguing that the rising death toll in Palestine means that the Labor Party does not have ten years to change their policy. Commentators have also accused Senator Payman of voting on the basis of her religion thanks to alleged comments to colleagues that her vote was “absolutely in God’s hands”. The senator was understandably offended by these allegations and the implication that because she is a “visibly Muslim woman” she only cares about Muslim issues. In the same interview, she emphasised that, “This topic on Palestinian recognition, Palestinian liberation is a matter that has impacted everyone with a conscience. It is not just a Jewish versus Muslim issue.” Although Senator Payman’s religion has garnered significant attention, many have overlooked how her actions reflect the broader opinions of the public – particularly young people – on Australia’s foreign policy in the region.
Young people’s outrage over Australian foreign policy in the Middle East
As Australia’s youngest currently serving senator, many commentators have overlooked how Senator Payman’s vote reflects young Australians’ growing outrage at the current foreign policy in the Middle East. Across Australia, young people have demonstrated their frustration with Australia’s foreign policy in the Middle East through activism. Weekly rallies in solidarity with the people of Palestine have occurred in many major Australian cities since Israel’s invasion started in October last year. Social media is teeming with people who are highlighting the hypocrisy of politicians’ responses when comparing the war in Ukraine to the genocide in Gaza. Students are also demanding better from their universities through pro-Palestine encampments, with key demands including the disclosure of investment portfolios and divestment from weapons manufacturers linked to the Israeli army.
Within the Labor Party, the party’s youth wing, Young Labor, is revolting over the treatment Senator Payman has received for her activism. The President of the National Union of Students and Young Labor member Ngaire Bogemann, shared that she and other youth members are “considering withdrawing membership” over the Labor Party’s treatment of Senator Payman and the party’s broader response to the genocide. In contrast, political parties like the Greens, which has a strong youth base, has been significantly stronger than Labor in condemning Israel for its war crimes and have managed to successfully platform foreign policy aspirations that resonate with many young Australians. Greens MPs have labelled Israel’s actions as a “genocidal invasion of Gaza” and have demanded that the Australian Government reprimand Israel by expelling the ambassador, ending the two-way arms trade, and sanctioning the government. The popularity of these policies with young people has significant implications for the future of Australia’s Middle Eastern foreign policy.
Implications for Australia’s Middle Eastern foreign policy
It seems increasingly likely that Australia’s foreign policy in the Middle East will drastically shift from the status quo because of the demands of young Australians like Senator Payman. With young people increasingly voting for candidates outside of Australia’s two major parties and being far less likely than any previous generation to become conservative as they age, Australia’s foreign policy is likely to shift as the major parties struggle to retain young supporters. Over time, the government might adopt more elements of the Greens’ platform as the major parties realise that they are losing young voters. Senator Payman’s recent vote can be seen as a sign that the Labor Party, at least, is on the verge of change.
Australia’s youngest currently serving senator is acting as a voice for young people, and a voice for change. Her vote represents a turn of the tide, signalling that change is on the horizon for Australia’s foreign policy in the Middle East.
Isabella Gockel is the Australian Foreign Policy Fellow for Young Australians in International Affairs. She is a final-year Bachelor of Political Science and Bachelor of International Relations student at the Australian National University, majoring in Human Rights and minoring in French Language and Culture. Isabella is immensely passionate about the intersection of Australian politics, Australian foreign policy, and human rights.
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