Australia's Voice

For the former party active from 2013 to 2015, see Australian Voice Party.
Australia's Voice
AbbreviationAV
LeaderFatima Payman
FounderFatima Payman
Founded9 October 2024; 34 days ago (9 October 2024)
Split fromLabor
IdeologyProgressivism[1]
Political positionCentre[2]
Colours  Maroon
House of Representatives
0 / 151
Senate
1 / 76
Website
www.australiasvoice.com.au

Australia's Voice (AV) is an Australian political party founded in 2024 by independent senator Fatima Payman.[3] The party intends to contest every state in the Senate and multiple House of Representatives seats at the next federal election.[4]

History

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Party founder Fatima Payman was elected to the Senate in May 2022 on the Australian Labor Party (ALP) ticket for Western Australia. She sat with the party until resigning in July 2024 following her crossing the floor on a Senate resolution supporting Australian recognition of Palestinian statehood,[5] and subsequent caucus suspension.[6][7][8] She subsequently sat as an independent senator until 9 October 2024, when she announced the formation of Australia's Voice.[4]

At a press conference launching the party, Payman stated that any elected AV MPs would be allowed conscience votes on any bill before parliament.[4] Asked about the where the party sits within the overton window, Payman said: “The ideological spectrum of whether you sit on the left or right, this is not what we're talking about here. This is a party for all Australians. We're going to ensure that everyone is represented, whether it's the mums and dads who are trying to make and make ends meet, or the young students out there, or whether it's the grandparents who want to have, you know, dignity and respect as they age.”[4] Payman stated that the party would advocate for "progressive reform" on issues such as housing, education, taxation and cost of living.[9]

The choice of the party's name was criticised by multiple Indigenous Australian leaders on the grounds the party had appropriated the name from the proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, and had done so so close to the anniversary (14 October) of the unsuccessful 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum.[10][11] Uluru Dialogue co-chair Megan Davis criticised the name and timing as "extraordinarily insensitive", Uphold and Recognise chair Sean Gordon criticised the name as a "further attempt by the pro-Palestinian movement to leverage off the back of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people", and former Labor Senator Nova Peris stated the name "is breathtakingly disrespectful, and a complete misappropriation of yet another aspect of my people’s story and emblems".[10][11] Payman stated she would make "no apologies" about the party name, that the word "voice" is "not trademarked", and she would not be changing it.[12] Payman also stated she was not concerned that the party name was similar to the defunct anti-Islam Australian Voice Party,[13] which was associated with her chief of staff, Glenn Druery. [14]

The party supports the immediate recognition of Palestinian statehood by Australia.[15]

References

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  1. ^ "Fatima Payman launches Australia's Voice party". ABC News. 9 October 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Fatima Payman says she 'doesn't see why' she should apologise for her new party's name". SBS News. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  3. ^ Crowley, Tom (9 October 2024). "Fatima Payman announces 'Australia's Voice' party with no policies". ABC News. Archived from the original on 9 October 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d Remeikis, Amy (9 October 2024). "Politics live: Payman says new political party Australia's Voice will be 'for the disenfranchised and the unheard'". Guardian Australia. Guardian Media Group. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  5. ^ May, Natasha; Remeikis, Amy (25 June 2024). "Australia politics live: Labor senator Fatima Payman crosses floor to support Greens' Palestine motion". Guardian Australia. Guardian Media Group. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 30 June 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  6. ^ Middleton, Karen (30 June 2024). "Fatima Payman suspended from Labor caucus over vow to cross the floor again on Palestine". Guardian Australia. Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on 5 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Fatima Payman to quit Labor and become an independent". ABC News. 4 July 2024. Archived from the original on 4 July 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  8. ^ Butler, Josh (4 July 2024). "Fatima Payman's decision to quit Labor party will 'empower opponents on far right', Wayne Swan says". Guardian Australia. Guardian Media Group. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 7 July 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  9. ^ Butler, Josh (9 October 2024). "Fatima Payman launches new party, accusing Labor and Coalition of 'stranglehold over our democracy'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  10. ^ a b Taylor, Paige; Yim, Noah (10 October 2024). "Indigenous leaders slam 'disrespectful' Fatima Payman's choice of party name, Australia's Voice". The Australian. Nationwide News Pty Ltd. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  11. ^ a b Lusted, Peter (11 October 2024). "Uluru Statement architect Megan Davis says she was open to calling off Voice referendum". ABC News. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Fatima Payman says she 'doesn't see why' she should apologise for her new party's name". SBS News. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  13. ^ Remeikis, Amy (9 October 2024). "Australia politics live: Chalmers warns of oil price spike from Middle East conflict; Albanese to meet Chinese premier". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  14. ^ Sakkal, Paul; Muroi, Millie (9 October 2024). "Payman's party shares name with anti-Islam party". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  15. ^ "Fatima Payman says 'Australia's Voice' will advocate for immediate recognition of Palestine". ABC News. 8 October 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
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