Turkish MP appointed as small business minister in Australia

MELBOURNE

A Turkish-origin politician was appointed as local administration and small business minister in the Victoria government of southeastern Australia on Nov. 30.

Daniel Andrews, Victoria premier and head of the Labour Party, appointed Adem Kubilay Somyürek to his cabinet after he won 52 of the 88 lawmakers against the opposition Liberal Party in last week's state elections.

Andrews underlined that half of his cabinet -- 11 out of 22 -- are women.

Somyürek will now be in charge of local governments as well as his former field of duty, small businesses.

Andrews said that Somyürek is a "good friend" of his and that he was happy to appoint him once again, in belief that he will do a good job.

With the assignment of Somyürek, the Australian Turkish community will be represented by three lawmakers and one minister, as in the last four years of the Victorian Parliament.

In July 2015, Somyürek had been forced to resign from the cabinet as the small business minister following bullying allegations made by a staff member.

Somyürek was elected as a Labor Party lawmaker for Dandenong in the 2002 elections. He was born in Turkey’s Aegean province of İzmir in 1967 and is married with two children.