Tamara Candy: Meet the buxom model who’s been hired by the Coalition to research Sharia law
THE Coalition government has hired Tamara Candy, a swimsuit model and Instagram devotee, to research Sharia law as a policy adviser. The 27-year-old admits she doesn’t think the burqa would be her style.
NSW
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THE Coalition government has hired a buxom and bubbly swimsuit model to research Sharia law as a policy adviser to backbencher George Christensen.
And the self-confessed champion of libertarianism believes the hardline set of Islamic customs has the potential to become part of our legal system.
Tamara Candy, 27, says she is not a feminist but an egalitarian and loves to flaunt her impressive figure in her favourite star-spangled bikini.
In a wideranging interview with The Daily Telegraph, Ms Candy says she has been disappointed with the silence she has encountered from “progressives” as she deals with trolls who criticise her for being a bimbo because of what she wears.
“It shows the utter hypocrisy of the left,” she says.
“Where are they when a conservative woman is being attacked?”
The PhD student is currently researching Sharia law for Queensland Liberal-National MP George Christensen and says she is shocked by what she has learned about female genital mutilation in Australia among extreme communities.
Ms Candy said she is strongly opposed to Sharia law and is warning about it coming to
Australia.
“I have been researching all facets of Sharia law and how it has the ability to function as a plural legal system to our own,” she said.
“We could see legal recognition of it in the courts one day — things like dowries and Sharia divorces. The thing that’s worrying me is the issue of genital mutilation. Eighty thousand women in Australia are survivors.”
In a landmark case in November, a Muslim mother and a retired midwife became the first people in Australia convicted of female genital mutilation by a jury.
“This is child abuse not a cultural or religious issue.”
Managing director of No FGM Australia Paula Ferrari said an estimated 83,000 women in Australia are survivors of the practice — based on prevalence data from Unicef and statistics from the ABS.
Ms Candy, who has rubbed shoulders with prime minister Abbott and radio megastar Alan Jones, says she expects criticism over the way she presents herself but believes she shouldn’t be judged by what she wears.
“I don’t think a burqa would really be my style but I’ve got nothing against women who wear them,” she said.
“My image is probably a part of western culture and it might offend some people but in my research I’m not confronting people personally — it’s over the phone.
“I wouldn’t turn up to an interview in my American bikini.”
Ms Candy said she has always leaned to the right politically — a stance galvanised by her work on the campaigns of Ron and Rand Paul in the United States where she picked up such electioneering techniques as Tinder recruitment.
She also says her boss George Christensen has copped some friendly banter from members opposite.
“One Labor shadow minister said ‘I don’t want to do anything with George Christensen unless Tammy Candy is involved’.”
She would not name names.
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