The Fatima Payman Gen Z Slang Speech refers to a speech given by the Australian Senator in September 2024, which is full of Generation Z and Alpha slang expressions. It received mixed reviews from people of all ages and sparked debate about whether the politician is reaching or alienating young voters.

While some sections of her target audience are praising Payman for appealing to a voting bloc that is more often mocked and abused, others are referring to this incident as the “Australian Senator’s brain rot speech.” This only seems to further confuse and anger older people who don’t know what “brain rot” means.

Who is Senator Fatima Payman?

The young senator has represented Western Australia since 2022. She was born in Kabul, Afghanistan in 1995 and emigrated to Perth with her family in 2003. Two years ago, she was elected to the Senate as the third youngest person and the first to wear a hijab.

As part of the Labor Party, Payman campaigned on political issues such as diversity, combating climate change and improving early childhood education. She split from her party in 2024 over the issue of Palestinian statehood and is now an independent.

Fatima Payman’s Gen-Z slang speech in detail

The crux of Payman’s speech was to accuse the Australian government of talking too much about the cost of living crisis without taking action, being dishonest about taxation and not sufficiently addressing the concerns of younger generations. She also encouraged these groups to vote when they reached the required age.

She used a long list of slang terms that are foreign to most people over 30. She called the government “stupid idiots,” “capaholics,” and “yapp-aholics.”

“I’d get an L if I didn’t mention the opposition wanting to cut the gyatts and services tax in WA,” she said. “Voters will have to make a decision in a few months between a centrist government, a dogwater opposition or smaller parties and independents trumping both.”

She ended the speech with “Skibidi.”

The full text of Senator Payman’s speech:

To the Sigmas of Australia, I say that this stupid government has been imposing a tax cap for a long time, not just now. Some of you may remember when they said, “There will be no fan tax under my government.”

They’re Kapaholics. They’re also Yapaholics. They blather on and on about how their cost of living measures are changing the lives of all Australians. Just put the chips in the bag, little brother.

They tell us they are focused on improving the housing situation in this country. They must be mentally stunted from watching too much Kai Cenat and have forgotten their plans to ban social media for children under 14.

If this becomes law, you’ll be able to skip the skull emoji when watching Duke Dennis or catching a dub with your mates on Fort Chat. Is the Prime Minister serious?

Even though he’s the Prime Minister of Australia, sometimes it feels like he’s the CEO of Ohio. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the people who want to cut the Gyatts and Services Tax in WA.

In a few months, voters will have to choose between a centrist government, an opposition with party-political ambitions, or a crossbench that will outstrip both.

While some of you cannot vote yet, I hope that when you do vote, you will vote in an Australia that is even more eager for a government with more aura. Skibidi!

Who actually wrote this insane speech?

Payman would be classified as a very young millennial by most generational definitions, two years too old to be part of Generation Z. It is not surprising, then, that a much younger political consultant, a so-called Zoomer, wrote the speech for her.

The author is 21-year-old Ezra Isma and he says that he only sometimes uses the terms that appear in the speech – and even then only ironically.

Memes and reactions

It’s not the first time a politician has tried to reach out to younger demographics by filling their speech with youthful slang, and the strategy rarely works. Older generations tend to be put off by it after years of complaining about the strange and unfamiliar language, while the targets often find it disingenuous at best.

@vahitran

I’m moving to Australia 🦘

♬ Original sound – Guy Cooper

Zoomer and Gen Alpha have dubbed Payman’s attempt at this trick the “Australian Senator’s Brainrot Speech.” Brainrot is modern slang for any content that has very little to no substance or value, so little that it damages the mind. This can create a negative feedback loop where the viewer seeks out more worthless content due to this brain “rot” and it gets even worse.

The speech quickly fell into the subcategory of brainrot memes, including a TikTok soundtrack, lots of hate on Reddit, and lots of second-guessing on X (formerly Twitter). Some young TikTokers seem disturbed by the fact that they understood the speech perfectly.

@poholifts

Um, what the Sigma

♬ Original sound – Fatima Payman

@blucynfluffs #bluey #brainrot #fyp ♬ Original sound – 6 News Australia

@muzzymane

my screen time isn’t even that bad

♬ Original sound – Fatima Payman

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