Ed Husic

Edham Nurredin Husic (born 3 February 1970), commonly known as Ed Husic, is an Australian politician serving as Minister for Industry and Science since 2022. Husic is a member of the Australian House of Representatives, elected to represent the seat of Chifley in western Sydney for the Australian Labor Party at the 2010 federal election. He is the first Muslim to be elected to federal parliament,[2] as well as the first Muslim to be made a Minister in the Australian Government.[3]

The Honourable
Ed Husic
MP
Husic in 2019
Minister for Industry and Science
Assumed office
1 June 2022
Prime MinisterAnthony Albanese
Preceded byAngus Taylor (industry)
Melissa Price (science)
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Chifley
Assumed office
21 August 2010
Preceded byRoger Price
Personal details
Born
Edham Nurredin Husic

(1970-02-03) 3 February 1970
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Political partyLabor (since 1989)
Children1
Residence(s)Colebee, New South Wales[1]
Education
Alma materUniversity of Western Sydney (BA)
Occupation
Websitewww.edhusic.com

Early life and education

Husic was born in Sydney, the son of Bosnian Muslim immigrants who came to Australia in the late 1960s. His father, Hasib Husić, a welder, worked on iconic projects undertaken by the Chifley government such as the Snowy Mountains Scheme.[4] His mother, Hasiba, was a housewife.

Husic says that while growing up, his household practised Islam but also celebrated Christmas and Easter.[4] As a child Husic did not attend the mosque, but later in life took a deeper interest in Islam.[4] After 9/11, Husic described himself as "non-practising" Muslim,[5] in order to "make people feel more comfortable."[4] He later regretted calling himself non-practising.[6][4] Husic has said he spoke Bosnian at home, picking it up during his primary school years.[4]

Husic was raised in Western Sydney and was educated at Blacktown South Public School, Mitchell High School and the University of Western Sydney, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Communications.[5][7]

Early career and union involvement

In the 1990s, Husic worked as a research officer for the member for Chifley, Roger Price.[8] Husic was first elected as a branch organiser in 1997. In 1998, he was elected as vice-president of the Communications Division of the CEPU. From 1999 to 2003, he worked for Integral Energy as a communications manager.[9] In July 2006, he became the secretary of the Communications Division of the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union of Australia (CEPU).[10] He was the national president of the CEPU before being elected to federal parliament.[11]

Political career

Preselection

Husic unsuccessfully contested the federal seat of Greenway at the 2004 federal election,[10] representing the Labor Party. Husic lost to Liberal candidate Louise Markus. During the election, anonymous campaigners distributed leaflets attacking Ed Husic for being a Muslim.[12] There were also reports that voters were urged to vote for Louise Markus "because she's a Christian".[13] The Labor Party accused the Liberal Party of orchestrating the leaflets, but the Liberal party denied that.[12]

Following the decision by Roger Price not to run for re-election, Husic contested and won the safe Labor seat of Chifley in 2010.[5][7][14]

Rudd–Gillard Governments

When Kevin Rudd announced the Second Rudd Ministry in 2013, Husic became the first Muslim sworn onto the Australian federal government frontbench, as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and Parliamentary Secretary for Broadband, taking his oath on the Quran.[15][16][17]

Opposition

During October 2020, Husic said his potential to be chosen by fellow Labor politicians for future party leadership rested with the Australian population moving beyond their concerns about Islam.[18]

In March 2021, Husic's parliamentary speech critiqued the Coalition government's approach toward the Australian Muslim community through its use of the expression Islamic terrorism in relation to national security.[17] Husic stated that several politicians preferred to overlook problems affecting conservatism and described concerns said by some conservative senators over the term right wing extremism as being "politically convenient".[17] He supported ASIO substituting both expressions with other terminology.[17] Husic said that he is against violent acts, and Muslims like him over the years have been often confronted by conservatives to denounce Islamist extremism.[17]

Husic served as the Shadow Minister for the Digital Economy and the Shadow Minister for Human Services[19] until 2019, when he resigned to make way for Kristina Keneally.[20] Husic was added back to the shadow cabinet when Joel Fitzgibbon resigned as Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Resources, with Husic taking over the portfolio.[21] After a shadow cabinet reshuffle, Husic became the Shadow Minister for Industry and Innovation in January 2021.[22][23]

Husic's sister Sabina was Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese's deputy chief of staff between May 2019 and November 2020.[24]

Albanese Government

After Labor's victory in the 2022 Australian federal election, Husic became the Minister for Industry and Science.[22]

Political views

Husic was the primary advocate for a parliamentary investigation into the "Australia Tax," the significant price difference for certain IT products compared to overseas markets.[25]

Husic supports same-sex marriage,[26] and is good friends with Josh Frydenberg.[27]

References
  1. Chancellor, Jonathan (15 November 2016). "Politican [sic] Ed Husic sells Blacktown investment house". Urban.com.au. First Chance Group.
  2. Wilson, Lauren (28 September 2010). "New MP is first in Australia to be sworn in with Koran". The Australian.
  3. "'Not gonna lie I was pretty nervous': First Muslim ministers on their history-making moment". ABC News. 1 June 2022.
  4. Jana Wendt. "Faith in politics: Australia's first Muslim MP".
  5. Green, Antony. "Chifley". The Green Guide – 2010 Federal Election. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
  6. "Keeping the faith: Muslim MP Ed Husic on why religion and politics do mix".
  7. "Division of Chifley – First Preferences and Two Candidate Preferred". 2010 Australian federal election. Australian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 23 August 2010. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
  8. Black, Sophie, ed. (2010). "Chifley". Crikey's 2010 Federal election form guide. Private Media Pty Ltd. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
  9. Sheehan, Paul (27 September 2004). "Candidate's silence could speak volumes". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
  10. "Senate Journal No. 145 – 12 June 2007". Hansard. Australian Parliament. 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
  11. "Our National Officials". Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union. Archived from the original on 8 July 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
  12. "Opposition immigration spokesman says link to racist leaflets 'grubby smear'".
  13. "Husic victim of slur on Islam, says MP". 24 October 2004.
  14. Coorey, Phillip (20 March 2010). "Labor's Price to resign at next election". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  15. "Ed Husic becomes first Muslim frontbencher". The Australian. 1 July 2013.
  16. Olding, Rachel (2 July 2013). "'Shame, shame, shame': Australia's first Muslim frontbencher abused for taking oath on Koran". The Age. Melbourne.
  17. Hurst, Daniel (19 March 2021). "'Hectoring' from conservatives blamed for Asio move to dump term 'rightwing extremism'". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  18. "Islamic faith tinges leadership aims, says Ed Husic". The Australian. 21 October 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  19. Current Shadow Ministry List – Parliament of Australia
  20. "Former NSW premier Kristina Keneally set for Labor frontbench after Ed Husic steps down". 29 May 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  21. "Ed Husic is back on the Labor frontbench". InnovationAus. 10 November 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  22. "The Hon Ed Husic MP". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  23. "Anthony Albanese announces new shadow cabinet". The Canberra Times. 28 January 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  24. "Anthony Albanese staffer Sabina Husic quits after 'defamatory attack'". News.com.au. 18 November 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  25. Smith, Paul (29 July 2014). "Online piracy fuelled by 'Australia Tax' price gouging". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  26. Massola, James (4 May 2015). "Support for same-sex marriage grows in the ALP as MP Ed Husic switches position". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  27. Knott, Matthew; Peatling, Stephanie (14 June 2015). "Political friendships cross party lines". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 September 2015.

 

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