The Latest Articles by Michelle Grattan

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Fatima Payman on the challenges and opportunities of being a crossbencher

Western Australian Senator Fatima Payman quit Labor after defying the party’s “solidarity” rule. Her action, spurred by the Gaza issue, has intensified Labor fears about the possible impact of the Muslim vote in some of its safe seats at the election.

The Conversation · Jul 10, 2024

View from The Hill: Labor will only harm itself by a silly attempt to discredit Payman

Labor would do well to draw a line under its loss of Senator Fatima Payman from its ranks, instead of taking more pot shots to try to discredit her.

The Conversation · Jul 5, 2024

Grattan on Friday: Labor’s Fatima Payman defects to crossbench as government worries about Muslim vote

Senator Fatima Payman, who announced on Thursday she was quitting her party, has now officially joined that well-known club of “Labor rats” – those who have been thrown overboard or jumped ship.

The Conversation · Jul 4, 2024

View from The Hill: Fatima Payman alleges attempts to ‘intimidate’ her into quitting the Senate

Rebel Senator Fatima Payman has escalated her confrontation with the Labor Party by claiming “some members” are trying to intimidate her into quitting the Senate.

The Conversation · Jul 1, 2024

View from The Hill: Albanese suspends rebel senator Payman from participating in caucus indefinitely after she says she’d cross the floor again

Anthony Albanese sprang into action after his recalcitrant senator, young Muslim woman Fatima Payman, gave a defiant Sunday morning interview on the ABC Insiders program in which she vowed to cross the floor again if similar circumstances arose.

The Conversation · Jun 30, 2024

Grattan on Friday: the Assange light and sound show overshadows government problems

As scripted political dramas go, Julian Assange’s (welcome) arrival in Canberra on Wednesday night would be hard to beat.

The Conversation · Jun 27, 2024

Julian Assange told Anthony Albanese he ‘saved his life’ after landing in Australia

Julian Assange told Anthony Albanese he had “saved his life” in his first phone conversation after his chartered plane’s wheels touched down at Canberra’s RAAF base soon after 7:30pm on Wednesday.

The Conversation · Jun 26, 2024

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Chris Bowen on ‘calling out’ claims about the energy transition’s cost

The climate wars have been reignited with the Coalition’s release of its controversial plan for nuclear power, an option totally rejected by the government.

The Conversation · Jun 26, 2024

Senator Fatima Payman defies Labor solidarity rule to cross floor on pro-Palestine Greens motion

Labor Senator Fatima Payman has crossed the floor to support a motion moved by the Greens declaring “the need for the Senate to recognise the State of Palestine”.

The Conversation · Jun 25, 2024

View from The Hill: Hero or villain, Julian Assange’s cause crossed the political divide

The Julian Assange affair stands at the awkward intersection of a country’s right to keep secret national security information and the public’s right to know what is being done by a supposedly accountable government.

The Conversation · Jun 25, 2024