John Ajaka

John George Ajaka (born 1956) is an Australian politician. He has been a Liberal Party of Australia member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since 2007. He is the first Liberal Lebanese Australian member of an Australian parliament. [" [http://www.theleader.com.au/2007/03/2_upper_house_welcome.php Upper House Welcome"] . "St George and Sutherland Shire Leader", March 27, 2007.] Ajaka currently serves as parliamentary secretary to the Shadow Attorney-General, Greg Smith. [" [http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hanstrans.nsf/0/6852B8C292F4B2E4CA2572F80008D4C4/$file/541LC004.pdf "Inaugural Speech of the Honourable John Ajaka"] . "Hansard", May 29, 2007.]

Ajaka was born in Bulli, New South Wales, to migrant parents. He attended St Joseph's Primary School and Marist College Kogarah. He served in the Army Cadets, graduating as the second-highest ranking officer in his group, and served briefly in the Army Reserve. He subsequently studied law and opened his own practice in Rockdale. [" [http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hanstrans.nsf/0/6852B8C292F4B2E4CA2572F80008D4C4/$file/541LC004.pdf "Inaugural Speech of the Honourable John Ajaka"] . "Hansard", May 29, 2007.] He was later elected as a City of Rockdale councillor, serving in that role until his election to parliament. [" [http://www.theleader.com.au/2007/03/2_upper_house_welcome.php Upper House Welcome"] . "St George and Sutherland Shire Leader", March 27, 2007.]

Ajaka was elected to the Legislative Council at the 2007 state election, having been preselected in the winnable sixth position on the Liberal Party ticket. [" [http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/Parlment/Members.nsf/5d65e8c599c38ed4ca256e7c001cd832/cd84f4d10a0e045aca2572ba0080eb7b!OpenDocument "The Hon. John George Ajaka, MLC"] . "Parliament of New South Wales". Accessed June 24, 2007.] [" [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/nsw/2007/guide/lc.htm|"2007 New South Wales Election: Legislative Council"] . "Australian Broadcasting Corporation". Accessed June 24, 2007.] He made his inaugural speech to the Legislative Council on May 9, 2007, in which he called for greater acceptance of migrants within Australian society and declared his intention to oppose racial prejudice and injustice in his role as an MP. [" [http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hanstrans.nsf/0/6852B8C292F4B2E4CA2572F80008D4C4/$file/541LC004.pdf "Inaugural Speech of the Honourable John Ajaka"] . "Hansard", May 29, 2007.] He also strongly criticised the police practice of referring to the ethnic backgrounds of criminals, contravening his own party's policy on the matter. [Pearlman, Jonathon. "Ethnic labelling creates division, says new Liberal". "Sydney Morning Herald", December 4, 2005.]

Ajaka supported the party's current leader, Barry O'Farrell, in his leadership battle against former leader Peter Debnam. [Salusinszky, Imre and Norington, Brad. "Fraser seizes deputy's job with both hands". "The Australian", March 29, 2007.]

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External links

* [http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/Parlment/Members.nsf/5d65e8c599c38ed4ca256e7c001cd832/cd84f4d10a0e045aca2572ba0080eb7b!OpenDocument Parliamentary biography]