The Latest Breaking News from Fatima Payman

Maria Vamvakinou and Fatima Payman joined by Coalition’s Mark Coulton to receive petitions signed by thousands of Australians

Ed Husic backed by fellow Labor frontbencher Anne Aly who says Israel ‘could be investigated’ for alleged war crimes

Does Australia still have a racism problem? Or does it simply suffer from a diversity and inclusion problem at the level of governance and political representation? Answering these questions is rarely straightforward and always depends on the personal experiences and ethno-religious backgrounds of those asking.

The final buttons to electronically distribute preferences for the Senate were pressed in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia on Monday. I wrote about the distribution of preferences in Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania on Saturday, and the climate activist’s David Pocock’s ACT Senate victory on Tuesday.

Here's your quick catch-up for this morning's news.

Fatima Payman is unbothered by the focus on her headscarf covering, saying her identity is ‘Australian first’

Fatima Payman, a former refugee from Afghanistan, has claimed a Senate seat in WA for Labor as the Australian Electoral Commission finalises the vote count.

Fatima Payman will become the first Muslim woman who wears a hijab to sit in Australia’s Parliament after claiming WA's sixth senate seat.

Anyone unlucky enough to have the combination of confidence and ‘difference’ will be in for a rough ride