- Dave Sharma, the first lawmaker of Indian descent in Australia’s Parliament, will venture back into politics.
- After retiring from the Senate, former foreign minister Marise Payne will be replaced by Sharma.
- Sharma was Australia’s ambassador to Israel from 2013 until 2017.
Having emerged victorious in the New South Wales Liberal Senate election, Dave Sharma, the first lawmaker of Indian descent in Australia’s Parliament in 2019, will venture back into politics.
After retiring from the Senate, former foreign minister Marise Payne will be replaced by Sharma, who served as the Sydney seat of Wentworth’s representative until his loss in the 2022 election.
Australian Senate
With the support of Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, Sharma overcame Andrew Constance, a former minister for New South Wales (NSW). Sharma was supported by the moderates in the party; he was Australia‘s ambassador to Israel from 2013 until 2017.
Thanking the Senate for the chance to hold the Albanese government responsible and defend the country’s national security interests during a period of increased international unrest, he expressed gratitude.
While congratulating Sharma on his election to the NSW Senate, opposition leader Peter Dutton said that given the unstable conditions in the Middle East, the Indo-Pacific, and Eastern Europe, Sharma’s experience in diplomacy and foreign policy will bring a great deal of weight and wisdom to the public policy discussion. Praised as a “fitting replacement” for Payne by Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley is Sharma.
