# Payman accuses Albanese of denying her an adviser to punish defection

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-prime-minister-is-making-an-example-of-me-as-a-young-mother-fatima-payman-lashes-out-at-dishonest-albanese-and-claims-he-is-holding-a-grudge/
- Published: 2026-11-10T02:55:31+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-10T03:12:24+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16279947/fatima-payman-anthony-albanese-adviser-staffing-row.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Government, Politics, World

## Key points

- Payman says Albanese denied her a personal adviser.
- Staffing records show her allocation was zero.
- Albanese denies treating her differently.

## Summary

Independent Senator Fatima Payman accused Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of withholding a personal adviser to punish her for leaving Labor in 2024. She says the decision is intended to make an example of her and warn Labor MPs against breaking ranks; Albanese denies treating her unfairly.

Staffing figures dated 1 June 2026 show Payman had no personal advisers, while other crossbench parliamentarians listed had at least one, with Jacqui Lambie allocated three. Albanese said Payman had the same overall staff numbers as when elected, plus one additional staff member, but Payman argued that electorate staff and personal advisers are different. She also alleged that Albanese offered her an extra staff member in exchange for supporting a Senate motion in November 2024; constitutional law professor Anne Twomey said such an offer would be difficult to imagine, and that using public powers to buy a vote would be improper if proven.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.