Labor introduces key subcontinent community representatives
Daniel Mookhey was recently elected to the Parliament of New South Wales to represent the Labor arty, as announced by Harish Velji at an event recently. Mr Velji is the first person from the subcontinent community to receive the Australian Labor Party’s prestigious McKell Award for Community Services
Daniel, who has already been elected into the Upper House of the NSW Parliament, is the third person of subcontinent origin represented in this august body. Others include Lisa Singh in Federal Parliament and Jude Perera in Victoria, both also from the Labor party.
Born in Australia and of Indian ancestry, Daniel shared his views on living in Australia and the contributions he hopes to make to the welfare of the state.
Speaking about his family who were among the first wave of migrants to arrive in Australia, Daniel said, “My father and mother spent a lotof time starting and supporting the institutions we now take for granted. As new migrants, this was their contribution to the community, and I am really proud of their achievements. The Mandir at Auburn is one of these and it is a source of pride to me each time I visit. I attend Diwali there and had the Ganesh puja for my wedding there about three years ago.
Daniel has a lot of initiatives in mind, in relation to his career and role in NSW Parliament “I want to make sure that our community that is well and truly past adolescence, that is now about to experience the bloom of its maturity, really has the opportunity to put more peopleforward into positions of prominence, and not just in politics. I’m looking forward to meeting the first Australian Indian CEO of a big corporation,” he stated confidently adding, “I’m looking forward to meeting the very first Australian Indian to head a government department, I’m looking forward to meeting an Australian Indian who will be an ambassador to India. People from my generation who were born here have exposure to the language and the culture, will have the pportunity to do (these things).””
.”Daniel also has strong views on improving the system for the community. “It’s about making sure we have the schools and (childrenhave the education that they need; and hospitals so those sick and their families don’t have to worry
“It’s making sure that we have nursing homes for people like my mother, a wonderful woman who has been working ever since she got here. That she has a place to go, where she can speak her own bhasha and eat her own food in the declining years of her life,” cited Daniel, on the issues that drive him. Post-elections, he said, these are going to be big issues that the community is going to face. “I don’t see this as a victory for me, I see this as an opportunity to do something, to give something back,” he averred..”
As a part of the event, Prue Car who is of Bengali heritage, was also introduced as a contestant for the seat of Londonderry. Prue has also been a councillor in Penrith for the last eight years. And finally, Aisha Amjad of Pakistani heritage, a potential member of the Upper House in the NSW Parliament, was introduced. The event was well attended with members of the media and the community enjoying interaction withthe organisers.
