Concern has been raised that the NSW Labor Leadership seem to have decided not to preselect Shaoquett Moselmane MLA, the only Muslim representative in any state Upper House in Australia at the upcoming state elections on 25 March 2023.
If they finally do remove Moselmane, then Labor would be removing the first member of the Islamic faith in the Legislative Council and the first-ever member of the Islamic faith elected in any state or federal parliament.
Mr Moselmane has been a member of the ALP since 1982 and was elected to the Legislative Council of the NSW Parliament in December 2009.
He has a long-standing involvement with various communities including South Asian, Arabic, Greek, Italian, Macedonian, Chinese and many other multicultural communities.
He was earlier elected to Rockdale City Council in 1995 where he served a number of times as Deputy Mayor and was elected Mayor of Rockdale City Council on four separate occasions, from 2001 to 2002 -3, 2005 – 2006 and again in 2009.
Mr Moselmane has been a strong advocate for Palestinian rights, speaking in the NSW parliament and raising his voice against the violation of human rights of Palestinians by the Israeli authorities from time to time.
The NSW MP was the target of radio shock jocks earlier in 2020 and a police raid under full limelight of the media in June that year but was fully exonerated by November 2020 again joining the parliament and his membership of the Labor Party was restored on Thursday 12 November after he was absolved of being the target of any foreign influence plot.
On his return to parliament in October 2020, he read a statement in which he reaffirmed his position that he had done nothing wrong.
“To date, Mr President, I remain none-the-wiser as to what this investigation is all about. I don’t know why it was necessary for my public humiliation, nor do I know who decided that it was necessary for the media to accompany the police raid into my home.”
He never received any explanation as to why he was targeted in a meticulously coordinated campaign by right wing radio shock jocks, Australian media, AFP, ASIO as well as by supporters of Israel and was highly disappointed by his own Labor Party for not coming to his support against these concerted attacks.
Mr Moselmane acknowledged the support of grass root members of the multicultural community throughout the traumatic last few months that took a toll on him personally and on his family. He specially thanked members of the Australian Chinese, Arabic and Pakistani communities for their strong support.
If the news of his removal for pre-selection comes true, the Muslim community would be denied of its advocate in NSW Legislative assembly and the only outspoken critic of Israeli atrocities in the Australian parliament.
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