Independent senator Fatima Payman and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson have formed an alliance to pressure Prime Minister Anthony Albanese over parliamentary staffing allocations, with Payman apologising after linking her lack of staff to the attack on fellow MP Helen Haines.
Payman overstepped on Monday night while questioning Special Minister of State Don Farrell, asking whether it would take a similar tragedy before she received the same staffing allocation other crossbench members enjoy. She refused to withdraw the remark at the time but apologised to Haines a couple of days later.
Albanese has sole discretion over staff allocated to independent and opposition parties, and most independents have one or two additional adviser-level staff. Payman has the standard allocation of five and has been asking for one or two more senior adviser positions for two years. In that period, independent Nicolette Boele, former Greens leader Larissa Waters and current Greens leader David Shoebridge have all received extra staff.
One Nation, with six MPs, has just four advisers, while the Greens, with 11 MPs, have 17 advisers, according to the article. Hanson cited a surge in support for One Nation and growing requests for help from constituents as reasons she needed more staff.
Asked about Payman's appeal on Thursday, Albanese said she has the same number of staff she had when elected as a Labor senator, “indeed one more because we granted an additional staffer to all senators and all members of the House of Representatives.”
The Parliamentary Workplace Support Service (PWSS), set up after the Brittany Higgins mess, reported in 2025 that 80 per cent of staff reported working at or above capacity, 64 per cent said their workload had increased over 12 months, and 45 per cent said their office lacked enough staff to handle inquiries. PWSS spent more time supporting political staffers with mental health issues than any other matter, with 42 per cent of cases (233) dealt with in 2025-26, up from 30 per cent (139) the previous year.
Hanson said her first question to the prime minister would be: “When is he going to fix the staffing?” Payman said she was tired of looking “in my staff’s eyes and saying ‘you’ll just have to deal with this because the prime minister is petty and is taking it out on me’.”
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The staffing dispute highlights ongoing problems with parliamentary resourcing, which PWSS data shows is driving a mental health crisis among political staff.
- The unequal allocation between crossbench and minor party MPs raises questions about executive discretion and fairness in Canberra.
- With calls for a kinder parliament after the attack on Helen Haines, the prime minister faces pressure to demonstrate reform is more than rhetoric.
Background
Albanese came to office promising to improve parliamentary standards and working conditions after the Brittany Higgins affair. The PWSS was established as an independent HR body. Crossbench staff allocations are controlled by the prime minister, who has discretion over independent and opposition party advisers.
Key Perspectives
Fatima Payman: She has waited two years for one or two extra adviser-level staff while others on the crossbench have received them, and linked her shortfall to the attack on Helen Haines, for which she later apologised.
Pauline Hanson: One Nation has six MPs but only four advisers, and she says her office is overwhelmed by constituent requests and a surge in support.
Anthony Albanese: Payman has the same number of staff she had as a Labor senator, plus one additional staffer granted to all MPs and senators.
What to Watch
- Whether Albanese grants additional staff to Payman or Hanson in coming weeks.
- Any further parliamentary standards reform proposals arising from the PWSS report.
- The political impact on Albanese if the dispute persists amid broader calls for a safer and fairer parliament.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedPayman and Hanson formed an alliance to pressure Albanese over staffing allocations.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “The two women have formed what can only be described as an unlikely alliance to try to pressure the prime minister to change his mind”
- SupportedPayman apologised after linking her lack of staff to the attack on Helen Haines.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “the WA senator linked her lack of staff to the attack on fellow MP Helen Haines”
- SupportedPayman said she was tired of looking “in my staff’s eyes and saying ‘you’ll just have to deal with this because the prime minister is petty and is taking it out on me’.”Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““I’ve been waiting two years, chair, and I am tired of looking in my staff’s eyes and saying ‘you’ll just have to deal with this because the prime minister is petty and is taking it out on me’.””
- SupportedHanson said her first question to the prime minister would be: “When is he going to fix the staffing?”Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Hanson didn’t hesitate: “When is he going to fix the staffing?””
- SupportedAlbanese said Payman had one more staffer than when she was elected as a Labor senator.Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““Fatima Payman has the same numbers of staff now as she had when she was elected as a Labor senator, indeed one more because we granted an additional staffer to all senators and all members of the House of Representatives,” he said.”
- SupportedPayman has a standard allocation of five staff and has sought one or two more senior adviser-level positions for two years.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Payman has the standard allocation of five, but has been asking for one or two more people (in the better paid and more senior adviser classification) for two years.”
- SupportedAlbanese has sole discretion over staffing allocated to independent and opposition parties, and most independents have one or two additional adviser-level staff.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “He has sole discretion over the staff allocated to independent and opposition parties, and most independents have either one or two additional adviser-level staff.”
- SupportedOne Nation has six MPs and four advisers, while the Greens have 11 MPs and 17 advisers.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “One Nation has six MPs in parliament and just four advisers, while the Greens, with 11 MPs, have 17 advisers”
- SupportedThe PWSS reported that 80 per cent of staff worked at or above capacity.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “the PWSS said that 80 per cent of staff reported working either at or above their capacities”
- SupportedThe PWSS reported that 64 per cent of staff said their workload had increased over the past 12 months.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “64 per cent said their workload had increased over the past 12 months”
- SupportedThe PWSS reported that 45 per cent of staff said their office lacked enough staff to handle inquiries.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “45 per cent said their office simply didn’t have enough staff to deal with the flood of inquiries that hit MPs’ offices.”
- SupportedMental-health support accounted for 42 per cent of PWSS cases (233) in 2025-26, up from 30 per cent (139) the previous year.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “with 42 per cent of cases (a total of 233) dealt with in 2025-26, up from 30 per cent (a total of 139 cases) in the previous year.”