Australia’s first female Muslim senator

When the 100th woman in the Upper House, Greens’ Senator Mehreen Faruqi, rose to give her maiden speech the occasion was momentous for one more reason, she is the first Muslim woman ever to claim one of the Senate’s red chairs.

Newly-sworn in Australian Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi speaks to the media during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Source: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Commencing her Senate term 75 years after the election of Australia’s first female M-P, Senator Mehreen Faruqi reflected on how far women in politics have come and the contribution they have made.

The Pakistani migrant, who arrived in Australia in 1992, raised two children and carved out a successful career as an academic and engineer before serving a five-year stint in New South Wales' Legislative Council.

Australia’s first female Muslim senator hopes to help reflect the diversity of the Australian experience.

Her message for the Senate stands in stark contrast to that of her new colleague, Fraser Anning, who last week used his maiden speech to call for a ban on Muslim immigration, dubbing it a "final solution".

Senator Faruqi says it was a “very disgusting” speech.

Enid Lyons became the first woman elected to the House of Representatives in 1943.

Despite the notable achievement, the wife of a former prime minister and mother of 12 once remarked that her Liberal colleagues “only wanted me to pour the tea”.

Mehreen Faruqi says, she doesn't want it to be another 75 years before true equality is reached.

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