Payman asks if PM is ‘waiting for what happened to Helen Haines’ to occur again – video

At a late-night Senate estimates hearing, Western Australian independent senator Fatima Payman accuses the Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, of being 'petty' by not granting her additional staff members after she defected from the Labor party in 2024, driving the point home amid escalating threats of political violence. Payman said she had requested an additional adviser, in line with other independent political offices, two years ago but the prime minister had yet to process the request. Farrell asked Payman to withdraw the comments but Payman said she wouldn't until Albanese processed or responded to her staffing request.