In historic first, new Australian premier picks 2 Muslim ministers
ANKARA (AA) – For the first time in the country’s history, Australia’s Cabinet will feature two Muslim members, local media reported.
Anne Aly and Ed Husic, both Muslim members of parliament, were sworn into the Cabinet on Wednesday, SBS News reported.
Husic will be minister for industry and science while Aly will serve as minister for early childhood education and youth.
Husic is the son of a Bosnian Muslim immigrant, while Aly came from Egypt along with her parents when she was 2 years old.
The 23-member Cabinet also includes a record 10 women.
The swearing-in ceremony held in the capital Canberra came 11 days after new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led the center-left Labor Party to a victory in the May 21 federal elections.
The Australian Muslim Advocacy Network welcomed Albanese’s historic decision to include Muslim MPs into his Cabinet.
“This is a day that we never thought we would see and it’s so uplifting – so exciting and great for democracy to have that diversity in parliament,” SBS quoted Rita Jabri Markwell, leader of the Australian Muslim Advocacy Network, as saying.
“It will bring people closer to politics and democracy, it will make people feel like they’re more part of the conversation,” she added.
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