The first South Sudanese Australian elected to an Australian parliament was on Monday sworn in to Western Australia’s Legislative Council.
Ayor Makur Chuot arrived in Australia as a refugee in 2005 after spending 10 years in an UNHCR refugee camp in Kakuma, Kenya.
She hopes her election to parliament will inspire other migrant women to consider a career in politics.
“When I came to Perth I couldn’t speak much English. A girl that arrived with her sister and a carry-on bag, a plastic bag. We came here with nothing, not even one dollar,” she told SBS News.
Ms Chuot becomes both Western Australia's first MP of African heritage and the first Australian politician elected from the South Sudanese community.
She was joined at Parliament House today by her partner, brother and two sons, including her newborn baby.
“I’m really excited about this new role. This is the place where decisions are made. For me to be involved in the team, where I can actually make a difference working with experienced people, is something I’m really excited for," she said.
Ms Chuot is the first WA MP of African heritage. Source: Facebook
Another planet
When Ms Chuot arrived in Australia as a 16 year-old, she had already experienced a great deal of suffering.
Her father was killed by rebels in 1992 during South Sudan’s second civil war. The tragedy led Ms Chuot, her mother and five siblings to search for a safer life, first in Kenya's Kakuma refugee camp and eventually in Australia.
“Kakuma was our home. Being a young person, you adapt to basically anything,” Ms Chuot said.
“We had basic needs met through the UNHCR, being refugees we were being looked after that way”.
Ms Chuot and her family were sponsored to resettle in Australia by an uncle, and the family made their new home in Alexander Heights. She has lived in Perth’s northern suburbs ever since.
“Honestly, we thought we were coming to another planet," she said.
"One of the cultural shocks that I had was not understanding the people working at the airport. And then we arrived, our neighbours didn’t come out to say hello. In our culture, people know who is living next door, so that was very different”.
As a teenager, Ms Chuot spoke very little English. After graduating from Aranmore Catholic College, she embarked on a successful modelling career that saw her walking down catwalks around the world.
She retired from modelling in 2013, but set up her own agency to mentor young models and encourage greater diversity in the fashion industry.
“When I started my agency, Perth Fashion Festival was able to hire seven of my models. That was really exciting for me to see that diversity improve,” she said.
Ms Chuot studied accounting at Edith Cowan University, balancing the demands of studying with being a young mum.
“The community has been very supportive. People say, ‘we knew you could do this’. I’m one of the people that had my son when I was only 17. I went back to school to get an accounting degree. I’ve been a working mum.”
In 2013, Ms Chuot also met recently retired Labor MP Janine Freeman, who mentored her and encouraged her to enter state politics.
“Janine basically showed me what leadership is. That’s how I got into politics. Last year I was nominated and it was a bit of a shock,” Ms Chuot said.
Ms Freeman was watching as Ms Chuot was sworn in this morning, and is committed to continuing her mentorship of the first term MP.
Ms Chuot was sworn in after becoming a mum for the second time. Source: Aaron Fernandes/SBS News
“I cried, a little bit. To see her come so far, it's an amazing achievement,” Ms Freeman said.
Ms Chuot was pre-selected as WA Labor’s third candidate to contest the North Metropolitan seat in the Upper House.
Labor’s landslide win in March this year secured control of both houses of WA parliament, including four of six members in the North Metropolitan electorate.
While Ms Chuot is the first MP of African heritage to enter Western Australia’s parliament, she hopes many others will follow.
“I think everything comes down to the individual,” she says.
“Of course, you have to be at the right place at the right time. We have to keep pushing so there is more representation in the public sector and the private sector. We just have to keep pushing for the change to really happen.
“I made it here, it is a great hope for any woman out there. Keep thriving, keep pushing.
"Opportunities are around.”
