CAIRO – Australian Muslim Urfa Masood has been appointed in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria, becoming the first Muslim woman to join the bench. “Masood has extensive experience in criminal law, child protection and family law, as well as with the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, which will prove invaluable in her role as a magistrate,” Attorney-General Martin Pakula announced on Tuesday morning, The Age reported on April 26. Masood, who is of Sri Lankan background, will be the first Muslim woman to sit on the bench of any Victorian court. She started practicing criminal law in 2003 and has worked for the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and the Australian Tax Office. She has also worked cases in the Magistrates’, County, Children’s, Family and Federal Courts. In 2012 she became an adjunct lecturer at the College of Law, where she teaches advocacy. Having an extensive experience in criminal and family law, her appointment was urged to have magistrates with an understanding of the issues facing Aboriginal communities. “The Aboriginal Legal Service has long been recognized as a development ground for exceptional legal talent and we congratulate one of our previous staff members on her appointment to the bench,” Annette Vickery, deputy chief executive of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, said. Muslims, who have been in Australia for more than 200 years, make up 1.7% of its 20-million population. Islam is the country’s second largest religion after Christianity.