Dance on the table: Australian MP alleges sexist remarks by male colleague

An Australian lawmaker has filed a complaint against a senior male colleague, alleging she was subjected to sexually suggestive and racially insensitive remarks at a parliamentary social event.

According to an ABC News report, Senator Fatima Payman (30) said the unnamed colleague, who she described as having “had too many drinks,” made comments such as, “let’s get some wine into you and see you dance on the table.”

Payman, a Muslim woman of Afghan origin, said the comments made her feel “singled out” because she does not consume alcohol.

“I don’t drink and I don’t need to be made… to feel left out because you do,” Payman said, referring to her older colleague.

“I told this colleague, ‘Hey, I’m drawing a line, mate,’ and moved on to making a formal complaint,” she said.

Payman stated she lodged the complaint through the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service and was satisfied with the “swift” handling of the matter.

Elected as a Labor senator from Western Australia in 2022, Payman was the youngest member of the last parliamentary session.

She left the Labor Party in 2024 after voting with the Greens on a motion advocating for Palestinian statehood, a stance not supported by her former caucus.