Ed Husic

Ed Husic (born 3 February 1970) is an Australian politician who is a member of the Australian House of Representatives, elected to represent the seat of Chifley in western Sydney for the Australian Labor Party at the 2010 federal election.

Early life and education

Husic was born in Paddington, New South Wales to a Bosnian Muslim family and often describes himself as a Muslim who does not involve himself with the activities which are part of the faith. His family background has gained media attention at various times, most notably when he stood as a candidate for Greenway at the 2004 federal election. He is the first Muslim to be elected to federal parliament.

Husic was raised in Western Sydney and was educated at Blacktown South Public School, Mitchell High School and the University of Western Sydney, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Communications.

Early career and union involvement

In the 1990s, Husic worked as a research officer for the member for Chifley, Roger Price. Husic was first elected as a branch organiser in 1997. In 1998, he was elected as vice-president of the Communications Division of the CEPU. From 1999 to 2003, he worked for Integral Energy as a communications manager. In July 2006, he became the secretary of the Communications Division of the CEPU. He was the national president of the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union of Australia (CEPU) and the divisional secretary of the CEPU (Communications Division) prior to being elected to federal parliament.