Sorry. This article is from 2013. As should have been obvious when it mentions Kevin Rudd's ministry. Thankfully, Rudd has been replaced by Tony Abbott.The Prime Minister's new parliamentary secretary, Ed Husic, has been subjected to online abuse for being sworn in with a Koran.
Husic, the son of Bosnian immigrants,became Australia's first Muslim frontbencher on Monday when he was appointed to Kevin Rudd's ministry as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and Parliamentary Secretary for Broadband. During the swearing-in ceremony Governor-General Quentin Bryce told Husic, "This is a wonderful day for multiculturalism, and everything it stands for in our country."
However, after receiving many messages of congratulations on his Facebook page, the comments quickly turned to disgust and outrage that he chose to be sworn in on the Muslim holy book. Some called it un-Australian and unconstitutional.
Ross Peace posted, "Our allegiance should have been to Queen and Country first Ed. That means saying the oath on the holy bible not the Koran.... Shame, Shame, Shame. I am so disappointed in this government that they don't have the spine to stand up for the Australian way of life."
Another user, Therese Pearce, said she was "disgusted and embarrassed" for the Australian people, posting, "Hell i might just have to use snow white and the 7 dwarfs next time i take the oath for Australia."
Husic has previously said that he is a moderate Muslim is not heavily involved with Muslim religious customs. In 2010 he said, "If someone asks me, 'Are you Muslim?' I say yes. And then if someone says, 'Well do you pray and go to a mosque and do all the other things that are associated with the faith?' I say no.
"I often get told that I describe myself as non-practising when in actual fact I don't go round saying that. Like I just say 'I'm Muslim'."