John Ajaka

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The Honourable
John Ajaka
MLC
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
Assumed office
24 March 2007
Minister for Ageing
Assumed office
23 April 2014
Premier Mike Baird
Preceded by Andrew Constance
Minister for Disability Services
Assumed office
2 August 2013
Premier Barry O'Farrell;
Mike Baird
Preceded by Andrew Constance
Minister for Multiculturalism
Assumed office
2 April 2015
Premier Mike Baird
Preceded by Victor Dominello (as Minister for Citizenship and Communities)
Minister for the Illawarra
In office
2 August 2013 – 2 April 2015
Premier Barry O'Farrell;
Mike Baird
Preceded by Greg Pearce
Succeeded by portfolio abolished
Personal details
Born (1956-01-13) 13 January 1956 (age 68)
Bulli, New South Wales, Australia
Nationality Australian
Political party Liberal Party of Australia
Website Parliamentary biography

John George Ajaka (born 13 January 1956), an Australian politician, is the New South Wales Minister for Ageing since April 2014, the Minister for Disability Services since August 2013, and the Minister for Multiculturalism since April 2015 in the second Baird government.[1][2][3] Ajaka is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since 2007, representing the Liberal Party of Australia and he is the first Liberal Party Lebanese Australian member of an Australian parliament.[4] Ajaka has previously served as the Minister for the Illawarra during 2013 and 2015 in the O'Farrell and first Baird government.[5]

Background and early years

Ajaka was born in Bulli, New South Wales, to migrant parents from Lebanon.[6] He was schooled at St Joseph's Primary School and Marist College Kogarah where he served in the Army Cadets, graduating as the second-highest-ranking officer in his group, and served briefly in the Australian Army Reserve. He subsequently studied law and opened his own practice in Rockdale.[7] He was later elected as a City of Rockdale councillor, serving in that role until his election to parliament.[4]

State political career

Ajaka was elected to the Legislative Council at the 2007 state election.[5][8] He made his inaugural speech to the Legislative Council on 9 May 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.[7] He also strongly criticised the police practice of referring to the ethnic backgrounds of criminals, contravening his own party's policy on the matter.[9]

Ajaka was appointed as the Minister for the Illawarra and the Minister for Disability Services on 2 August 2013; and became of member of the O'Farrell cabinet.[10][11] Due to the resignation of Barry O'Farrell as Premier,[12] and the subsequent ministerial reshuffle by Mike Baird, the new Liberal Leader,[3] in April 2014 in addition to his existing responsibilities as a minister, Ajaka was appointed as the Minister for Ageing.[13][5]

Following the 2015 state election, Ajaka was appointed as the Minister for Ageing, the Minister for Disability Services and the Minister for Multiculturalism, and the Leader of the Liberal Party in the Legislative Council in the new second Baird government.[1]

References

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  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Ageing
2014 – present		 Incumbent
Minister for Disability Services
2013 – present
Preceded by as Minister for Citizenship and Communities Minister for Multiculturalism
2015 – present
Preceded by Minister for the Illawarra
2013 – 2015		 Succeeded by
portfolio abolished
Party political offices
Preceded by Leader of the Liberal Party in the Legislative Council
2015 – present		 Incumbent
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