Sen. Fatima Payman | Defiance, Gaza & Free Speech in Australia

FATIMA PAYMAN is a former refugee who became one of the youngest senators ever elected to the Parliament of Australia—where she has courted controversy on more than a few occasions. Today, the Senator joins me for some 5AM StoryTalk, and it’s one hell of a conversation.We tackle the decline of freedom of speech in Australia, the role of multiculturalism in the country’s art and identity, and whether the current Labor government is actually up to the challenges posed by the 21st century. A BONUS EPISODE is available via Apple Podcasts or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠at ⁠Substack⁠.Sen. Fatima Payman returns to break down a seminal artwork from her life – the Rage Against the Machine song ‘Killing in the Name’ from the rock band’s 1992 self-titled debut album.The Senator reveals for the first time the role this radical political song played in her decision to leave Australia’s Labor Party and become an Independent senator instead.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bonus-sen-fatima-payman-talks-rage-against-the/id1807437928?i=1000749709502Substack: ⁠https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/fatima-payman-rage-against-the-machine-killing-in-the-nameListen to the song here: https://open.spotify.com/track/59WN2psjkt1tyaxjspN8fp?si=549a5e1f2d5e4fdcThis is an extraordinary chat about the impact of art on the individual and, in this case, a political party.LINKSLearn more about Sen. Fatima Payman: https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=300707Learn more about Sen. Payman’s decision to leave the Labor Party: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-04/fatima-payman-quits-labor-after-palestinian-vote-furore/104056278Learn about the rise of the Far Right in Australia: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/the-rise-of-far-right-extremism-australia-2025/8skg4ekweLearn more about ‘Killing in the Name’ here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_in_the_NameSUBSCRIBE TO THE ‘5AM STORYTALK NEWSLETTER’⁠⁠⁠⁠https://colehaddon.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠You’ll gain access to both the 5AM StoryTalk newsletter and all episodes of this podcast – including exclusive bonus episodes in which my guests discuss seminal pieces of art from their lives. Ask questions in the comments section there, too!SUBSCRIBE TO THE ‘5AM STORYTALK PODCAST’ AT APPLEA paid subscription at Apple will get you access to all of my bonus episodes in which my guests return to break down a seminal artwork from their lives.TIP JARNot up for a paid subscription but appreciate the work that’s gone into making this podcast happen? You can “buy me a coffee” ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SOCIAL MEDIAFollow Cole/5AM StoryTalk at…⁠⁠5AM StoryTalk @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/5amstorytalkpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cole Haddon @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.com/Colehaddonwashere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EMAIL⁠[email protected] StoryTalk would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.This podcast’s music is provided by ⁠⁠Cary Brothers⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.carybrothers.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠