CopticWorld has recently found out that the Australia may soon have its first ever, female Coptic politician at any level of Government.

Sarah Ramsay from South Western Sydney has decided to run for Local Government in the City of Campbelltown in the election on Saturday the 8th September 2012.

Below is an excerpt from an email that Sarah recently sent:

“Today I write it to you seeking your support and prayers in my attempt to run for a seat in Campbelltown City Council.  

I have been previously considering entering the political arena and was a little undecided as to which party I would want to join. In recent months I took the decision to join the Christian Democratic Party, a minor party in NSW but they have had a presence in the Upper House of NSW Parliament for over 30 years. The party best suits the values that I believe in and they currently hold the balance of the power in the NSW legislative council with 2 MP's who control the balance of power”.

The Australian media recently reported that the City of Campbelltown’s election will be one of the most competitive campaigns in the state of NSW with a record 102 candidates fighting for a spot on the 15 seat council.

Although Sarah’s chosen party is not one of the major two in the nation, it is a growing party throughout the State of NSW and CopticWorld acknowledges the work which Christian Democrats and the Hon Rev Fred Nile (member of the Legislative Assembly) have done for NSW in the past, including passing motions in the NSW Parliament such as the one proposed on the 14th of October, 2011:

“On 14 October 2011, the Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile, leader of the Christian Democratic Party, moved the following in the NSW Legislative Council:

That this House: (a) recognises that Coptic Christians in Egypt are suffering ongoing and increasing persecution, (b) condemns the recent attacks on Coptic Christians in Egypt, (c) expresses its sympathy for Coptic Christians who have been victims of recent attacks in Egypt, and (d) calls on the Government to:

(i) issue a public statement condemning the ongoing attacks against the Coptic Christian minority in Egypt, (ii) make immediate representations to the United Nations to end the persecution of Coptic Christians in Egypt, (iii) strongly urge the Egyptian Government to provide equal rights and protections for all Egyptian citizens regardless of race or religion.

Although the motion received unanimous support from the members of the NSW Legislative Council, it is only the first step towards ending the persecution of the Coptic Christians in Egypt. One particular passage, during the morning’s proceedings, stressed the seriousness of the situation in Egypt”.

This above motion introduced into the NSW Parliament followed the House of Representatives clear endorsement of a historic private member’s bill by Mr Craig Kelly MP, Liberal Federal Member for Hughes, on 13 October 2011, addressing the ongoing persecution of the Coptic Christians in Egypt.

Sarah Ramsay believes that there is no other politician in the nation who has supported the cause of the Copts more than the Rev. Hon. Fred Nile and no other party who has continued to foreground the plight of Egypt’s Copts more than the Christian Democratic Party, which influenced her decision to join the party.

Sarah was also astounded when the Rev Nile attended a Coptic protest in Sydney following the Maspero massacre even though his late wife, Hon. Elaine Nile had just passed away only days earlier, which raised the respect she had for the leader.

Sarah tells CopticWorld that she is considered the “underdog” in Campbelltown by the members of other major parties but has been inspired by the great feedback she has received by the many people in her local community including the most vulnerable and disadvantaged

At only 23 Sarah is a Company Secretary for a major human rights/community advocacy group and juggles this with her final year studies in Pharmacy.

Sarah has taken to social media to reach out to her community and can be contacted directly regarding her campaign through:

Email: sarah4council@gmail.com

Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sarah-4-Campbelltown-Council/353008071442525?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarah4council

CopticWorld wishes Sarah Ramsay all the best and looks forward to reporting on her progress in the future.