- See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source
Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi has revealed she left Pakistan in search of a fairer society for her young family, only to discover that Australia was not quite the corruption-free utopia she had hoped for.
Speaking to Annabel Crabb on ABC's Kitchen Cabinet, Faruqi recounted her move to Australia in 1992 with her husband Omar and their baby son, driven by rising corruption in Pakistan.
asserted
Faruqi → see → Pakistan
'In the late 80s, early 90s, there was a lot of corruption that was setting in in Pakistan and we were like, "I don't think we want our kid to have to deal with this, to fight a system",' she said.
asserted
she → be → system
So we thought maybe we should start thinking about moving somewhere else where this is not the system.'
asserted
this → think → ?
But Faruqi soon discovered that settling in Australia presented its own realities.
asserted
settling → discover → realities
She was elected to the NSW Parliament as an Upper House member in 2013, at a time when politics in the state was reeling from a string of corruption scandals.
asserted
politics → elect → scandals
Between 2011 and 2013, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) investigated numerous MPs and political figures, including former Labor ministers Eddie Obeid and Ian Macdonald, over allegations of using their positions for personal gain.
asserted
Commission → investigate → gain
'Lo and behold, when I came to Australia, in my first year in New South Wales Parliament, there were 11 MPs who had to leave Parliament or go back on the backbench because of corruption charges, but that's a whole other story,' Faruqi told Crabb.
asserted
Faruqi → come → Crabb
Mehreen Faruqi (pictured) cited corruption in Pakistan as the reason she moved to Australia
Faruqi said she and her husband arrived with little besides 'a kid' and 'two suitcases', hopeful about the future.
asserted
she → picture → future
'We started with very rose-coloured glasses, I guess, very eager to make this new country our home.
asserted
country → start → glasses
And we have.
asserted
we → have → ?
It is our home,' she said.
asserted
she → say → ?
Faruqi explained that, despite being encouraged to migrate because of a shortage of civil engineers, both she and Omar struggled to get work in their field after arriving.
asserted
she → explain → field
'When we applied for permanent residency in Pakistan, we were told by the High Commission that we were going to get permanent residency very quickly because there was a dire need for civil engineers in Australia and there were plenty of jobs available,' she said.
asserted
she → apply → jobs
'When we got here, the situation was really different.
asserted
situation → get → ?
'It was that recession we had to have.
asserted
we → have → ?
But I think mostly it was that no one would give us a look in to a job.
asserted
one → think → job
They just said, "You have no local experience".
asserted
You → say → experience
Unable to find engineering work straight away, her husband drove taxis for a year while Faruqi completed postgraduate studies.
asserted
Faruqi → find → studies
Rather than settling in an established Pakistani community, the couple decided to strike out on their own.
asserted
couple → settle → own
Faruqi (pictured, with Greens leader Larissa Waters) and her husband moved from Sydney to Port Macquarie to work as engineers
'The Australia that we came to, and still is, I think the richest multicultural country that I have seen or read about,' Faruqi said.
asserted
Faruqi → picture → that
So Omar and I both thought we really want to take this opportunity and live in a place where all these different people live.'
asserted
people → think → place
The family eventually moved from Sydney to Port Macquarie after spotting two engineering jobs advertised at the local council.
asserted
family → move → council
'We just thought, "Okay, this is made for us.
asserted
this → think → us
We've just got to give it a shot",' Faruqi said.
asserted
Faruqi → get → shot
'I think we were the first two brown people in the 150-year history of the council that they had ever hired, so kudos to them,' she said.
asserted
she → think → them
Their years on the NSW Mid North Coast also laid the groundwork for her political career.
asserted
years → lay → career
A trained environmental engineer, Faruqi became involved in groups like Landcare, Bushcare and refugee support charities, which led her to join the Greens.
asserted
which → train → Greens
'Okay, maybe it's time to put my heart and soul into a political movement,' Faruqi said.
asserted
Faruqi → put → movement
Pauline Hanson (centre) lost her legal appeal against Faruqi over social media comments
Since then, Faruqi has emerged as a major figure in Greens politics, being elected as Deputy Leader of the Federal Party in 2022, remaining in the role today.
asserted
Faruqi → lose → role
The Greens senator's political journey has also seen her become a frequent target of One Nation leader Pauline Hanson.
asserted
her → see → Hanson
In 2022, Hanson sparked outrage after telling Faruqi to 'pack your bags and piss off back to Pakistan' following comments the senator made about Queen Elizabeth II.
asserted
senator → spark → II
Faruqi successfully sued Hanson for racial discrimination, with the Federal Court ruling the remarks breached the Racial Discrimination Act.
asserted
remarks → sue → Act
An appeal by Hanson was later thrown out, cementing Faruqi's legal victory.
asserted
appeal → throw → victory
The Aporia
