AUSTRALIANS have voted, and while the final results are still being determined, the country has elected three new Jewish politicians.
Julian Leeser became the first Jewish Liberal in the House of Representatives from NSW when he easily won the seat of Berowra, Dr Michael Freelander swooped to victory for Labor in the Western Sydney electorate of Macarthur with a swing of more than 10 per cent, and Stirling Griff from Adelaide earned a seat in the Senate as he was second on the Nick Xenophon Team ticket.
The three new politicians will join Liberal’s Member for Kooyong Josh Frydenberg, who was one of the few Liberal parliamentarians to increase their vote, Labor Member of Isaacs Mark Dreyfus and, in all likelihood, Labor’s Michael Danby, who is ahead as the count continues for the vital seat of Melbourne Ports.
It is believed to be the first time that six Jews would be elected to Federal Parliament.
Read the article by Joshua Levi in the Australian Jewish News.