Bennelong by-election: Chinese voters may be influential
CHINESE community leaders have warned they will not be swayed into endorsing candidates for the Bennelong by-election as the “Chinese vote” shapes as influential.
Northern District Times
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CHINESE community leaders have warned they will not be swayed into endorsing candidates for the Bennelong by-election as the “Chinese vote” shapes as influential.
The Labor, Liberal and Greens camps have made early attempts to woo Chinese-Australians in the electorate, which has more people of Chinese ancestry than English or Australian, according to the Census.
Labor candidate Kristina Keneally has warned the Chinese community of the Federal Government’s proposed tougher English language test for citizenship.
The government says the changes will give migrants a better chance of success, but Ms Keneally said it may unfairly prevent Chinese family members immigrating to Australia.
Meanwhile, Liberal candidate John Alexander invited Eastwood Chinese Seniors president Hugh Lee to meet him before the cameras while campaigning at Eastwood last week.
Mr Lee is involved with several community groups but is not about to tell them how to vote.
“Among my circle, I’ve got friends who are great supporters of John Alexander,” he said.
“On the other hand, I’ve got friends who don’t like him because of (his actions on) same-sex marriage.”
Mr Alexander has not publicly endorsed same-sex marriage but argued in the party room for MPs to have a free vote — which most viewed as being supportive.
Greens candidate Justin Alick and Labor’s Ms Keneally also support same-sex marriage.
Mr Lee’s friends were among those who took a 5000-signature petition against same-sex marriage to the former MP’s electorate office in Epping in August. The example shows trying to woo Chinese voters will not be easy.
“We can’t say Chinese people will support one side,” Mr Lee said of the by-election.
“We’ve been in the community long enough. I think we know enough to make our own judgment.”
Mr Alick has also asked to meet a Chinese leader, Australian Asian Association of Bennelong president Justin Li.
The association, formed 10 years ago, stages community events and promotes cultural harmony.
Mr Li, a former independent Ryde councillor, is keen to keep it apolitical.
The Chinese community was not easily categorised, according to Mr Li, and was “fairly diverse”.
“I’d say the longer you’ve been in Australia, your views are going to be more similar to mainstream society,” he said.
While recent migrants may be more conservative, candidates will find them harder to reach.
Mr Li said these people tended to be more “narrowly” informed through Chinese newspapers and radio.
The citizenship issue would resonate with newer arrivals, he said, but less so with families established in Australia.
He said courting Asian voters could be decisive and that (former MP) Maxine McKew’s efforts in Bennelong were a big factor in her success.
Labor distributed campaign pamphlets with Chinese and Korean translations in the area in the lead-up to the 2007 election.
The party also attacked then-MP John Howard for not speaking out against Pauline Hanson’s controversial views on Asian people.
“It’s an effective card. Just the sheer mention of Hanson and One Nation tends to infuriate Asian voters,” Mr Li said.
The by-election will be held on December 16 after Mr Alexander resigned due to uncertainty over his citizenship status.
The deadline for candidates to nominate for the by-election is Thursday.