Right up until the moment she hit send to distribute her statement asserting she had been exiled, Labor colleagues had been reaching out to Senator Fatima Payman to offer reassurance, tea and sympathy. The last thing they wanted was for her to feel unwanted.

Tanya Plibersek had hugged Payman in the chamber on Monday after Sam Mostyn delivered the first of two brilliant speeches – coincidentally appealing for greater kindness – marking the beginning of her tenure as governor-general.

Illustration: Dionne Gain

The Finance Minister, Senator Katy Gallagher, has been in constant contact with Payman both before and after she crossed the floor last week to vote for a Greens motion on Palestinian statehood even though the government crafted an amendment which it believed satisfied the concerns of caucus.

When this amendment – which provided for recognition of Palestine after a ceasefire agreement and as part of a two-state solution – was discussed at a full caucus meeting before it was put to the Senate, Payman offered no objections to it.

Nor did Payman speak out when the amendment was discussed for a second time before the Senate vote at a separate meeting of Labor senators chaired by Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

Nor did Payman forewarn Wong that she had decided to vote for the Greens motion. She had told colleagues she had not made up her mind, that she was praying for guidance, waiting for God to advise her on what course to take.

Fatima Payman and Tanya Plibersek after the swearing-in of Governor-General Sam Mostyn.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Wong exchanged text messages with Payman after the vote, then........

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