Keneally campaigner’s presidency of Vietnamese group deemed ‘very inappropriate’

A campaigner for Kristina Keneally has been sacked from a prominent Vietnamese community organisation over claims she fostered disunity in the group.

A campaigner for Kristina Keneally has been sacked from a prominent Vietnamese community organisation over claims she showed “biased public support” for Labor and fostered disunity in the group.

Kate Hoang, the woman who sponsored Ms Keneally’s bid to run for Labor in Fowler, was sacked as the president of the national Vietnamese Community in Australia (VCA) group in March amid accusations she was using her position in a bid to boost Labor’s electoral chances.

Presidents of the VCA’s state chapters voted to dump Ms Hoang as the national VCA President in March for creating disunity among the group, and because of concerns about her public support of Ms Keneally.

Cong Le, who was installed as the group’s acting president after Ms Hoang was dumped, said he was “very concerned” that the organisation could have been used to promote Ms Keneally’s campaign.

He said it was “very inappropriate” that Ms Hoang was working on Ms Keneally’s campaign while representing the VCA as President.

Members of organisation Vietnamese Community Australia voted to sack national president Kate Hoang. Picture: Supplied

“The reality is that we need to remain neutral from the VCA level,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

The move to dump Ms Hoang as national VCA President has exposed divisions within the Vietnamese community over Ms Keneally being parachuted into the electorate.

The move blocked local Vietnamese lawyer, Tu Le, from running.

Ms Le believed Ms Hoang and dumped vice president Paul Huy Nguyen had been working to promote Ms Keneally in the community.

“I believe they used their position as community leaders to show their political bias in supporting Kristina Keneally to run for Fowler instead of me,” she said.

Fairfield Deputy Mayor Dai Le last week announced she would stand as an independent for the seat, because of local anger about Ms Keneally being installed to run for Labor.

2021: Labor Senator Kristina Keneally spoke with Kate Hoang (left) at The Vietnamese Community Cultural Centre in Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

Ms Hoang stood alongside Ms Keneally on her first appearance in the electorate after being endorsed, in her capacity as the Vice President of VCA NSW.

At the time, she said the VCA is a “bipartisan organisation”.

A spokesman for Ms Keneally suggested Ms Hoang was the victim of poor treatment by other members of the VCA.

“Ms Hoang is a proud and valued member of the Vietnamese Australian community,” the spokesman said.

“A number of her colleagues have resigned in protest due to Ms Hoang’s treatment by VCA colleagues.

“Ms Hoang is also a proud member of the ALP, and like ALP members across Australia, she is helping out in the election campaign.”

The Daily Telegraph contacted Ms Hoang directly but did not receive a reply.

Originally published as Keneally campaigner’s presidency of Vietnamese group deemed ‘very inappropriate’