President of the State Electorate Council of Rockdale, member of Monterey ALP Branch and member of the ALP since 1982 and elected to the Legislative Council of the NSW Parliament in December 2009. Elected to Rockdale City Council in 1995 where he served a number of times as Deputy Mayor and was elected Mayor of Rockdale City Council on four separate occasions, from 2001 to 2002 -3, 2005 – 2006 and again in 2009. Following his election to the NSW Parliament, he resigned as Mayor but remains on Council until his term runs out in 2012. Shaoquett received the Emeritus Mayor Award for over 5 years of service as Mayor of Rockdale City Council.

Long-standing involvement with various community organisations including Arabic, Greek and Chinese communities. Former Chair of the Australian Lebanese Friends of Labor, Member of the Greek ALP Consultative Committee, Founding Member and Senior Vice-President of The Australian Chinese Association, Honorary Member of the Arab Business Network, Member of the Board of the Law and Justice Foundation of NSW. Shaoquett was elected as a Student Representative at the Faculty of Law at the University of NSW and was also a member of the Australian Republican Movement. He has been an active member of the Australian Labor party for the past 27 years during which time he had held various positions including Local Branch secretary and President, Rockdale State Electorate Council President and also secretary, and held various positions in the Federal Electorate Council of Barton. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Shaoquett grew up in Beirut until the age of 12 when he migrated to Australia with his family of 12. He completed an Arts Degree in Government and Public Administration at the University of Sydney, then a Masters Degree in Politics at Macquarie University and finally completed his Law Degree at the University of New South Wales.

In 2012, Shaoquett established the Multicultural and Indigenous Media Awards, which recognises outstanding Multicultural and Indigenous media and journalists across Australia. In 2014, he established the National Indigenous Human Rights Awards, the first of its kind in Australia. Shaoquett is the Chair of the Sydney Institute of Public and International Affairs, the Forum for Middle East Affairs , as well as the Kids-on-Wheels Alliance Inc. registered charity which manufactures and globally distributes wheelchairs for children living with a disability. 

Shaoquett practiced law from 1999 until he established his own small Legal Practice in 2007, Moselmane & Co. Lawyers. Achieved a Diploma in Law from the Solicitors Admission Board and Practicing Certificate NSW Law Society. Admitted to the Roll of Solicitors: NSW Supreme Court. Degree in Law, University of New South Wales. Masters Degree in Politics, Macquarie University. Arts Degree in Politics and Government Administration, University of Sydney.

Inaugural speech, 25 February 2010: