Labor senator Fatima Payman resigns from foreign affairs committees after genocide comments

In short: First-term Labor senator Fatima Payman broke ranks with her party when she labelled Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide and referenced the chant "from the river to the sea" First-term Labor senator Fatima Payman broke ranks with her party when she labelled Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide and referenced the chant "from the river to the sea" Her comments were deemed "inappropriate" by the prime minister and the backbencher has now resigned from her position on two foreign affairs committees What's next: A new member will be needed on the two committees, which scrutinise government policy in defence and foreign affairs. A Labor senator who accused Israel of carrying out genocide on the Palestinian people has resigned from her position on two parliamentary foreign affairs committees. "Senator Payman has resigned from the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade and the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee," the spokesperson said. Liberal MP Julian Lesser asked the prime minister in parliament earlier this month whether he would "show strong, not weak, leadership and remove Senator Payman from the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade".