A Pakistani-born migrant is set to become the first Muslim woman to serve in Australia’s parliament, Voice of America reported.
Mehreen Faruqi, an environmental engineer, was selected by the New South Wales Greens to fill a vacancy in the upper house of the state legislature.
Faruqi migrated from Pakistan with her family in 1992. Her Twitter page describes her as an “environmental engineer, climate change activist, proud union member and feminist.”
She has been chosen to represent the Greens, a center left party, in Australia’s first and oldest parliament in New South Wales.
The university academic was selected by a postal ballot of party members, from a field of seven in a contest in which only women could run.
Faruqi will take up her position in July, when she will become the first female Muslim in any of Australia’s state, territory or federal parliaments.