Asian Australian stories straight up

Asian Australian 2010 federal election candidates

August 24th, 2010  |  Published in News and Politics  |  5 intelligent opinions  | 

They campaigned, we voted, they counted, they’re still counting, and… we’re still waiting.

The 2010 Australian federal election is proving to be one of Australia’s most interesting and historically significant elections:

  1. The rise and ‘greenslide’ of Australia’s now undisputed third party, the Australian Greens;
  2. Our first Indigenous Australian member elected to the House of Representatives, Ken Wyatt (Liberal member for Hasluck, WA);
  3. The youngest member elected to Australian parliament, 20-year-old Wyatt Roy (Liberal National for Longman, Qld);
  4. Our first female prime minister legitimately elected in (or not) by the people; and in all likelihood,
  5. The second hung parliament in Australia’s history.

Hung parliament

In 1940, Australia faced its first hung parliament, which saw Robert Menzies (Liberal MP) battle it out with John Curtin (Labor MP) to secure the support of two Independent MPs (Curtin came out victorious).

70 years later, prime minister Julia Gillard (Labor MP) and opposition leader Tony Abbott (Liberal MP) go head to head to win over the four Independent and one Greens support, to decide the fate of Australia’s government and transform their title of humble MP to Almighty PM (voted in by the people, of course).

iVote

Future vote

Speaking of PM, Saturday night’s coverage of the election results went well into the night, and had me wondering whether my own measly vote had been counted yet, or if it really, in the scheme of things, mattered at all.

I wondered whether the majority White male politicians really gave a flamin’ shrimp on the barbie about my well-being, concerns and opinions as an Asian Australian (well, besides Jason Clare Labor member for Blaxland who, according to the Vietnamese community in NSW, is an honorary Vietnamese member).

Birds of a feather

Birds

There were Christian candidates from the Christian Democratic Party running in the election to advance the fundamentalist values of Christian people; there were racists campaigning for the puritanical and homophobic ideals of its people in the cunningly titled Family First Party…

There were climate change deniers’ views supported by its candidates from the Climate Sceptics; and the good people from the Australian Sex Party fighting for gender equality, sexual identity and equal rights.

You + me = community

Community

But what about Asian Australians? Were there any Asian Australian federal candidates that would advance and support the needs of Asian Australians?

That is not to say that Asian Australian candidates would only be interested in advancing our community’s cause, or that non-Asian Australian candidates would refuse to listen to the Asian Australian community (Malcolm Fraser and Jason Clare are good examples).

But when it comes to politics, the most any of us can hope for is that the candidate we elect will be, with greater certainty, likely to support our cause and meet our needs. An Asian Australian candidate representing and supporting the Asian Australian community seems much more likely to me.

Who were the AA ?

So who were the AA candidates running in this year’s election?

Although a little late coming, I’ve compiled a list of the Asian Australian federal candidates of 2010* representing our community in the political sphere.

* Absent AA candidates were either excluded because there was not enough information on them, or were unintentionally excluded.

Election trends

From the list below, AA federal candidates:

  1. Tended to run in the states of NSW and VIC, where the largest Asian populations are nationwide;
  2. Were either Indian, Vietnamese or Filipino, as these Asian nationalities make up the majority of Australia’s Asian population;
  3. Tended to run as Greens or Liberal Party members (understandable for most of the Vietnamese Australian Liberal candidates, as most had escaped the communist regime in Vietnam, the Liberal Party has historically been anti-communist, and it was because of Malcolm Fraser of the Liberal Party that Vietnamese refugees were accepted into Australia); and
  4. Lost their federal electorate seat to non-Asian candidates. Although unfortunate, I’m guessing that it will be a while before Australia swears in our first Asian Australian prime minister – see Ann’s cartoon Written in the stars.

AA federal candidates

In alphabetical order:

Joy BanerjiJoy Banerji

Indian Australian
Labor Party candidate

Electorate: Menzies, VIC
Residents: Large Southern European population (mainly in Templestowe)
Work/Study: Representative in Monash, Victoria local government; initially worked in the banking industry; was elected local government councillor (2003); served two terms as mayor of Monash
Biography: Born in New Delhi, India; migrated to Australia in 1972 with parents and older brother; currently lives in eastern suburbs of Melbourne (since 1996); mother of three children
Targets: Community development; improving the lives of (especially disadvantaged) people; Labor Party policies
Election results: Seat lost to Liberal candidate; ~ 22,268 votes

Alexandra (Kaur) BhathalAlexandra Bhathal

Indian Australian
Greens Party candidate

Electorate: Batman, VIC
Residents: Large Middle Eastern and Southern European population (mainly in Northcote and the northern suburbs)
Work/Study: Social worker (for 20 years); PhD candidate; former welfare spokesperson for the Victoria Greens; currently working as elected representative in local government; ran previously for the federal seat of Batman and state seat of Northcote
Biography: Indian migrant background; currently lives in Preston; mother of two sons
Targets: Refugee rights; anti-nuclear and environmental campaigning; climate change; social justice; community safety; 24-hour health facilities; adequate education funding; assistance to international students; quality childcare; welfare and carers’ payments above the poverty line; guaranteed protection for all workers; Greens policies
Election results: Seat lost to Labor candidate; ~ 14,888 votes

[Article updated to include Fazal Cader; suggestion by Tseen from the Banana Lounge]

Fazal CaderFazal Cader

Sri Lankan Australian
Liberal Party candidate

Electorate: Hotham, VIC
Residents: Large Greek, Vietnamese, Sub-Saharan African and Balkan population (mainly in Oakleigh, Springvale and Noble Park)
Work/Study: Small business owner (since 2000); acted as executive director, project manager and managing director in the banking sector; was appointed London Desk Manager for a financial trading firm; worked for one of Australia’s largest banks for 10 years
Biography: Born in Sri Lanka; immigrated to Australia as a teenager in the early-1970s
Targets: Small businesses; employment opportunities; community development; Liberal Party policies
Election results: Seat lost to Labor candidate; ~ 20,756 votes

Thomas DangThomas Dang

Vietnamese Australian
Liberal Party candidate

Electorate: Fowler, NSW
Residents: Large Vietnamese and Laotian population (mainly in Cabramatta, Bonnyrigg, Canley Vale and Liverpool)
Work/Study: Marketing and communications consultant; part-time law student; worked in the advertising industry
Biography: Second generation Vietnamese Australian; family arrived in Australia in 1977 escaping communist Vietnam; grew up locally; educated in the public school system; family owned small businesses in the area
Targets: Improving local services and facilities; improving infrastructure; local small businesses; Liberal Party policies
Election results: Seat lost to Labor candidate; ~ 23,544 votes

Jaymes DiazJaymes Diaz

Filipino Australian
Liberal Party candidate

Electorate: Greenway, NSW
Residents: Large Filipino population (mainly in Blacktown)
Work/Study: Legal practitioner; undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Law; established the Diaz Foundation which gives yearly academic awards to local primary and secondary schools
Biography: Grew up locally; previously youth vice-president of the Philippine-Australian Community Services Inc.
Targets: Youth issues; community development; border ‘security’; improving infrastructure; Liberal Party policies
Election results: Seat lost to Labor candidate; ~ 28,828 votes

Ken NamKen Nam

Vietnamese Australian
Liberal Party candidate

Electorate: Watson, NSW
Residents: Large South Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese and Middle Eastern population (mainly in Campsie, Strathfield, Lakemba, Greenacre and Wiley Park)
Work/Study: Real estate agent; served as Canterbury local councillor for over two years; ran in the 2007 state election as a Unity Party candidate
Biography: 32 years of age; lived and worked in the local area for over 18 years
Targets: Improving infrastructure; housing issues; employment opportunities; improving funding for multicultural organisations; Liberal Party policies
Election results: Seat lost to Labor candidate; ~ 23,734 votes

John NguyenJohn Nguyen

Vietnamese Australian
Liberal Party candidate

Electorate: Chisholm, VIC
Residents: Large Asian population, esp. Vietnamese, Indian and Chinese (mainly in Box Hill and Burwood)
Work/Study: Worked as an accountant in New York for five years; B Commerce and postgraduate diploma in Finance at the University of Melbourne; MBA at Melbourne Business School
Biography: Born in South Vietnam in 1974; escaped communist Vietnam in 1979; migrated to Australia in 1980 with some of his family after spending nine months in a Malaysian refugee camp; in 1979 his mother, a school teacher, and his family were reunited with his father, an ARVN Major who was sent to a communist re-education camp; raised in Melbourne’s northern suburbs
Targets: Community development; improving and keeping the Australian tax system competitive; Liberal Party policies
Election results: Seat lost to Labor candidate; ~ 24,762 votes

Gurm SekhonGurm Sekhon

Punjabi Australian
Greens Party candidate

Electorate: Scullin, VIC
Residents: Small Asian population
Work/Study: Project manager; community development worker; chairs the Council’s Human Services and Community Development committee; worked with the Environmental Defenders’ Office and the Victorian National Parks Association; served for three terms as city councillor (2001-2008) of the city of Yarra and the new Melba Ward; previously state convenor for the Victorian Greens; previously national convenor for the Australian Greens; ran for the Nicholls Ward (2008)
Biography: 42 years of age; grew up in Bundoora (since 1971); has lived in Melbourne’s northern suburbs for more than 40 years
Targets: Community development; climate change; reviving public education; improving health care facilities and services; improving the public transport system; Greens policies
Election results: Seat lost to Labor candidate; ~ 5,452 votes

Mark SharmaMark Sharma

Indian Australian
Independent candidate

Electorate: Watson, NSW
Residents: Large South Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese and Middle Eastern population (mainly in Campsie, Strathfield, Lakemba, Greenacre and Wiley Park)
Work/Study: Sales and marketing; serves on the advisory Multicultural Committee of Burwood council; B Accounting; former Liberal Party member
Biography: 26 years of age; born in Delhi; immigrated to Australia eight years ago as a student to finish his Accounting degree; lives in Strathfield
Targets: Supporting the ethnic community; refugee rights (to some extent); lowering taxes; sustainable population and increasing immigration; skilled migration; anti-censorship; climate change; challenging corruption
Election results: Seat lost to Labor candidate; ~ 2,042 votes

Wayne TsengWayne Tseng

Chinese-Vietnamese Australian
Liberal Party candidate

Electorate: Calwell, VIC
Residents: Large Turkish and Balkan population (mainly in Broadmeadows)
Work/Study: IT communication consultant; tutored at the University of Melbourne; lectured in Business Information Technology at RMIT; degree from the University of Queensland; founder and director of e-Translate Multicultural Communication, specialising in translation services for businesses; executive member of the Melbourne Chinese Business Association; previously a member of the Vietnamese Business Association
Biography: Born in Vietnam to Chinese parents; migrated to Brisbane, Australia in the late-1970s; moved to Melbourne (1992); lives in Melbourne
Targets: Community development; local businesses; improving local services and facilities; Liberal Party policies
Election results: Seat lost to Labor candidate; ~ 19,397 votes

Ronaldo VillaverRonaldo Villaver

Filipino Australian
Australian Democrats candidate

Electorate: Greenway, NSW
Residents: Large Filipino population (mainly in Blacktown)
Work/Study: President of the Philippine Community Council of NSW (2009); currently vice chairperson of the Ethnic Community Council of New South Wales Inc.; B Agriculture from the Philippines; Masters degree from Massey University, NZ; PhD on Technology Management in the Philippines; worked with Philippine government agencies prior to immigrating to Australia, including the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry and the National Food Authority
Biography: Born in the Philippines; lives in Blacktown
Targets: Environmental issues; community development; Australian Democrats policies
Election results: Seat lost to Labor candidate; ~ 430 votes

Also see May’s Where Asians live in Sydney.

References

About the author

Leigh is fond of reading, dinosaurs, cats and comedy. She finds herself regularly engaging in such activities as going to university, tutoring kids, and whistling. She is proud to be Vietnamese (half Chinese) and loves how Asians are just so darn cool.

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  • http://tseenster.blogspot.com tseen

    Thanks for this article, Leigh. I’d commented to someone on my twitter-feed that the only ‘minority’ candidates in my (very safe Labor) seat of Hotham were:

    1. Fazal Cader – Liberal – of Sri Lankan birth – http://bit.ly/9eCEgv

    and

    2. Gary Ong – Family First – (assuming of Chinese descent) – no real info

    I was wondering whether I’d be more likely to vote for a ‘minority’ candidate, but given the affiliations of those two, the answer was definitely “No!”.

    Also, I think the Chinese community (from mainland China) is actually a bigger % AA population, and bigger again if you look at ‘of Chinese descent’ (which would include those from Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, etc…). I’ve seen the stats a few places but here’s the Wiki one (I know, I know, rock-solid…): http://bit.ly/ciuCGG

  • Leigh

    @Tseen – Thank you for your response :-)

    I intentionally excluded Gary Ong due to lack of info (as you noted). I also couldn’t get enough info on Daniel Le (who I suspect is Vietnamese) – he’s also running for Family First but in NSW.

    Ah… I missed Fazal Cader -_-’ I certainly would like to know what his policies are on Sri Lankan refugees considering he is Sri Lankan himself… but knowing what most Liberal policies are on refugees, it doesn’t seem at all promising.

  • http://www.eurasian-sensation.blogspot.com Eurasian Sensation

    Wow, they all lost. At least the term “Hung Parliament” sounds a bit Asian.

    I’m a bit surprised at this statement:

    “tended to run as Greens or Liberal Party members (understandable for most of the Vietnamese Australian Liberal candidates, as most had escaped the communist regime in Vietnam, the Liberal Party has historically been anti-communist, and it was because of Malcolm Fraser of the Liberal Party that Vietnamese refugees were accepted into Australia)”

    I don’t know if a handful of Vietnamese running for the Libs correlates to a wider trend. I don’t have any data to back me up, but my impression was that most in the Indochinese community were Labor voters. The two most Vietnamese suburbs here in Melbourne (Springvale and Footscray) are in very, very safe Labor seats.

    Chinese-Australians in my observation tend to be more likely to vote Liberal. Which would be expected as the Chinese community as a whole is considerably wealthier than the Vietnamese.

    There are a lot of Chinese involved in Family First, as well; the Hillsong/Assembly of God churches attract substantial numbers of wealthier middle-class Chinese.

  • Leigh

    @Eurasian Sensation – You’re completely right about doubting that “a handful of Vietnamese running for the Libs correlates to a wider trend” – that was never implied in my article.

    I was referring to the candidates themselves, rather than the voting trends of Vietnamese Australians. I suppose it’s ‘understandable’ why they’re in the Liberal party, was what I was getting at. My own Dad consistently voted Liberal since he came here in 1977, based solely on the fact that Labor was pro-communist.

    ‘Vietnamese’ suburbs in NSW such as Cabramatta and Bankstown, are very Labor secure too. Hell, as a Vietnamese Australian I didn’t vote Liberal.

  • http://emilyjsun.wordpress.com Emily

    Definitely not. I would not vote for a “minority” candidate just because we were from the same pan-ethnic background. I have been in electorates where there have been Christian Democrats who share my ethnic background and have a similar family history, but their values are just not mine. So no. And yes, I always get mistaken for a conservative Christian Democrat or liberal because I’m Chinese and supposedly have a small business. It’ll be great when there are people of all colours across the political fence.

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