Courtney Houssos said she is “thrilled” to have become a NSW minister in Chris Minns’ new Labor cabinet, one what she called an “energetic new team ready to lead the state.”
Houssos said that Minns’ new frontbench is a Cabinet that’s arguably the state’s most diverse and inclusive yet.
“I am very proud and also humbled to be a minister in the Minns Government,” Houssos told Neos Kosmos.
“It is a tremendous privilege to be part of this energetic new team and to be entrusted with the portfolios of finance and natural resources. I will give my all and work with diligence and purpose in both.”
The minister has a strong Hellenic connection, given she is married to Greek-Australian George Houssos and raised a Greek-Australian family, factors which have embedded her in the Greek community.
“I would like to thank the many members of our Greek community who have shown me such great support in my eight years as a member of the NSW Legislative Council,” Courtney Houssos
In addition to Houssos, there are two other Greek-Australian representatives in the Cabinet: Steve Kamper and Sophie Cotsis.
Kamper takes on three ministerial portfolios small business, lands and property and multiculturalism while Cotsis becomes minister for industrial relations.
This is an increase in Greek-Australian representation in NSW’s frontbench, the previous government having had just one member of the community, Eleni Petinos, who was removed from her post last August.
In last week’s election, Petinos was in serious danger of losing her seat of Miranda but managed to hold on enough to retain her place for a third term.
