NSW Labor engages with Muslim community ahead of state election

While meeting with Muslim community leaders and Imams on Tuesday 21 February at ANIC offices in Chullora, NSW ALP leader Chris Minns introduced new Labor candidates in a number of Western Sydney electorates assuring of better services for the community once in government.

The Australian National Imam’s Council (ANIC) have been organising a number of meet and greet events between various political parties and members of the Muslim community leading up to the NSW state elections scheduled for Saturday 25 March 2023.

The ANIC hosted dinner event that was attended by a large section of diverse Muslim community leaders and Imams from all areas of Sydney, Western Sydney in particular heard 5 minutes speeches from the candidates standing up for the NSW state election.

ANIC President, Imam Shadi Alsuleiman while welcoming all those present thanked Chris Minns MP for accepting the dinner invitation and engaging with the Muslim community.

He also announced his plans to engage with the Liberal party as well saying, “We need to extend the invitation to the Premier and the Liberal Party to come and meet with us. And you know, we are trying to meet with all, but we really appreciate that Chris views and his party has always been prompt in their response and the engagement with the Muslim community”

He further added, “So Chris, to you as a friend, you are a politician and we wish you all the best in the future and during and after the next 35 days. And as I mentioned to you, you are part of the family, so to speak.”

The Grand Mufti of Australia, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamad also thanked Chris Minns as well as all Labor politicians and community leaders for the dialogue in building a better NSW.

After greeting all present with Salam, Chris Minns thanked the Mufti and Sheikh Shadi for their kind words and referring to them as great friends.

“Thank you, everybody, Salaam Alaikum, Dr Abu Mohammed, thank you so much to Sheik Shady, who is a good friend of mine as we’ve come to rely on Sheikh Shadi, not just for advice about the community in West- ern Sydney, but on the state of the economy, on what we can do for young people.

“On where he thinks Australia is going in the next ten years. On what he believes the weather will be tomorrow. On a whole range of issues, we rely on Sheikh Shadi for so much advice and counseling and I’m really privileged to call you my friend.”

“I think Sheikh Shadi said something really interesting, which was that after 2001 the Muslim community was on the periphery of the political debate in Australia, and since then there’s been a persistent and important engagement from all sides about the future of the country.”

“For Australians that have an Islamic background, we need to make sure that it’s not just a close relationship. I think that the responsibility of the political leadership in New South Wales is to celebrate and build up the Muslim community in New South Wales, not to be just tolerated but to be celebrated.”

“Under a Labor Government there won’t be a sense of anything other than full integration between our wonderful Muslim brothers and sisters that call Australia home, their family, their friends, their communities and the rest of Australia and that’s a commitment that I give to you, and it’s a commitment from everybody in the Parliamentary Labor Party.”

“We don’t just want to run an election, run an election campaign where we’re urging you not to vote for the Coalition. We want to run a political campaign where we’re asking you to support us because we’ve got the right policies to drive New South Wales forward and we believe that we do.”

“We’re committed to turning around the health system in this state to make sure that it’s serving you, the community and that means, yes, money and it does mean time and it does mean care and effort but largely it’s about a government that has empathy for the people that work in the health system and those that need it.”

“So if you think Labor has got the right ideas that the Government’s been in for too long and the team that I represent is energetic and ready for the task at hand, we’d love you to tell your communities about it.”

Mr Minns then went on to introduced the Labor candidates from various electorates who spoke on their views on the NSW state of politics relevant to their particular areas and communities. The formal event ended with Maghreb prayer followed by a lavish Lebanese dinner and further mingling.