Independent Senator Fatima Payman has unveiled her own political party to try to shake up the two-party system

The Australia’s Voice party will run candidates at the next federal election, which is due by May 2025.

Payman said the party – which would run in all states in the Senate and some lower house seats – would stand up for disenfranchised voters. She is yet to announce any formal policies.

“So many of you have told me with emotions in your hearts we need something different. We need a voice. It is this cry for change that has brought us here today,” she said in Canberra on Wednesday.

“It’s a party that’s based on what Australians want and what I’ve been hearing from Australians. They are fed up of the major parties, the two major parties playing politics and being afraid of making any form of progressive reform.”

She said her party would be a movement for “all Australians”.

“We’re going to ensure that everyone is represented, whether it’s the mums and dads who are trying to make and make ends meet, or the young students out there, or whether it’s the grandparents who want to have, you know, dignity and respect as they age,” she said.

Payman was elected as a Labor senator for Western Australia in 2022, but quit the party in July over differing views on Palestine. She has since served in the upper house as an independent.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has previously called on her to hand the seat back to Labor. In response, Payman said this week her party might also run candidates in his Sydney seat of Grayndler.

Payman said there had been interest from people putting their hands up to run as a candidate under the Australia’s Voice banner.

“Australia’s Voice is for each and every person, and we welcome candidates,” she said.

“We’ve already received so much interest from disenfranchised Labor candidates, former Labor candidates, we’ve had people from the National Party reach out and express interest.”

Earlier, psephologist and polling analyst Dr Kevin Bonham told TND that Payman’s party would require a “substantial primary vote” to have any success in a crowded field of minor parties.

“With the Payman party, we will have to wait and see how it develops: Will it attract high-quality candidates or is it just going to be a lot of noise?” he said.

-with AAP