First hijab senator Australia alleges inappropriate remarks from an older colleague

Senator Fatima Payman alleged she was urged to drink and ‘dance on the table.’

Senator Fatima Payman, the first hijab senator from Australia, recently alleged that an older colleague made inappropriate remarks and urged her to drink and ‘dance on the table.’ She said she doesn’t drink alcohol and claimed the older colleague made a series of inappropriate remarks at an official function.

A senator from Australia alleged that an older colleague made inappropriate remarks.

A Muslim lawmaker in Australia on Wednesday said that she has complained to a parliamentary watchdog after a male colleague allegedly urged her to drink wine and “dance on the table.” She alleged that the man passed on inappropriate remarks after he “had too many drinks” at an official function. He said, “Let’s get some wine into you and see you dance on the table,” Payman, 30, told national broadcaster ABC.

What did Senator Fatima Payman respond to her colleague?

She said, “I told this colleague, ‘Hey, I’m drawing a line, mate’, and moved on to making a formal complaint.” It wasn’t clear when the alleged incident occurred or who the colleague was.

Payman was born in Afghanistan and went on to become the first senator to wear a hijab inside Australia’s parliament, according to local media. In 2021, former political staffer Brittany Higgins alleged she was raped by a colleague inside a parliamentary office, triggering protests across the country. Later, a review revealed that Australia’s parliament was rife with heavy drinking, bullying and sexual harassment.