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Portrait of Fatima Payman

Fatima Payman

Australia's Voice · Senate · WA · incumbent

Fatima Payman was born in 1995 in Kabul, Afghanistan, of paternal Tajik and maternal Uzbek heritage; her family fled the Taliban when she was five, and she migrated to Perth in 2003 after her father, who had arrived by boat in 1999 and worked as a security guard, kitchen hand and taxi driver, sponsored the family's migration. She attended the Australian Islamic College in Perth, graduating as head girl in 2013, and went on to study pharmacy at the University of Western Australia. She has served as a senator for Western Australia since 2022. [source]

Pharmacy assistant 2018-2020, electorate officer, then organiser for the United Workers Union; president of WA Young Labor in 2021. Left Labor to sit as an independent and launched her own party, Australia's Voice, in October 2024; its whip since 6 February 2025. [source]

Sourced positions

A verified position is the member's own stated view or vote, supported by the listed sources. This page records public statements and conduct only — see methodology.

Faith & religion verified

Wikipedia states "Payman is a Muslim" in the personal life section of her article.

Foreign policy & aid verified

In a May 2024 Senate speech Payman accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, criticised the Australian government's response and called for sanctions and divestment against Israel. On 25 June 2024 she crossed the floor to vote for a Greens resolution supporting Australian recognition of Palestinian statehood, after writing on 17 June 2024 that "Australia must recognise Palestine to support peace efforts"; she subsequently left the Labor Party.

Citizenship (s44 eligibility) verified

Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, and naturalised as an Australian citizen in 2005, Fatima Payman was advised she had taken "all reasonable steps" (per Sykes v Cleary) to renounce her Afghan citizenship after a 2021 renunciation request could not be finalised; a November 2024 Senate motion to investigate her section 44 eligibility was defeated 35-3.

Record last updated 2026-08-13.