Senator Fatima Payman to visit Bunbury, Collie following departure from Labor Party

WA senator Fatima Payman will visit Bunbury and Collie on her 12-day regional town blitz following a controversial month in Canberra. Senator Payman’s tour began last week in Geraldton with the politician set to visit 12 regional locations in as many days. After Geraldton, the Senator headed north to Carnarvon, Karratha, Port Hedland, Broome and Kununurra. She will now head south to Bunbury, Collie, Katanning, Albany, Esperance and Kalgoorlie before Parliament returns on August 12. So far Senator Payman has met various local government representatives, chambers of commerce and community organisations. Prior to the tour, the Senator also met leaders of WAFarmers to discuss sheep and agricultural matters. The road trip comes nearly a month after her departure from the Labor Party. Senator Payman crossed the floor to vote in favour of a Greens motion for the Senate to recognise the State of Palestine, a motion the Labor Party opposed. Given party rules requiring Labor politicians to toe the party line on votes, Senator Payman was indefinitely suspended from the party caucus after she indicated she would cross the floor again if a similar vote was brought forward. Just a few days later she left the party to sit as an independent. Senator Payman is yet to commit to her future, but has reportedly asked the Prime Minister to increase her staffing to be in line with other independent senators.