Fatima Payman quits Labor, accuses colleagues of intimidation

Labor senator Fatima Payman has confirmed she is leaving the party to sit as an independent. That speculation was linked to the fact that Senator Payman is being advised by minor party "whisperer" Glenn Druery, who has also been advising Muslim community groups about political campaigns. In Question Time on Tuesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he believed Senator Payman had been pursuing a "strategy" related to her departure dating back at least a month. Gallagher expresses 'genuine care' Finance Minister Katy Gallagher told the ABC's 7.30 she had reached out to Senator Payman "to make sure she was taking care of herself" and said she did not believe Labor senators had been hostile. Calls for Payman to quit Gallagher added she believed "the right thing to do" for Senator Payman would be to quit the Senate rather than serve out the remaining four years of her six-year term.