PM to host Labor candidate at Kirribilli for Vietnamese community event, but Dai Le snubbed

Labor candidate Tu Le has been invited to an event to celebrate the contribution of Vietnamese Australians over the past 50 years, but Dai Le — the only federal MP of Vietnamese heritage — has not.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been accused of politicising a soiree to celebrate the Vietnamese community by inviting the Labor candidate for the seat of Fowler while snubbing sitting MP Dai Le, the only federal politician of Vietnamese heritage.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that Ms Le has been left off the guest list for a function to mark 50 years of the Vietnamese-Australian community, a week after being overlooked for Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke’s industrial-scale citizenship ceremonies in Olympic Park.

He has, however, invited Labor’s Fowler candidate Tu Le – sparking criticism.

“You can’t hold an event for Vietnamese Australians and not invite Dai Le,” a Labor source said.

However, sources with knowledge of the guest list dismissed the suggestion there was a snub, noting no Vietnamese state MPs had been invited either, and saying that Tu Le had been

invited in a non-political capacity, as the winner of a significant community award in 2022.

Fowler MP Dai Le, in her Australian flag design traditional Vietnamese áo dài, has not been invited to a celebration of Vietnamese Australians at Kirribilli House. Picture: Gary Ramage

Vietnamese leaders will gather at Kirribilli House on Friday for a 90-minute celebration of the community’s contribution to Australia over the past 50 years.

However, the PM is now facing criticism from within the community for the “rushed” event, invitations for which were only sent out on Monday.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Picture: David Caird

Dai Le famously delivered her first speech to parliament in an áo dài (Vietnam’s national dress) bearing an Australian Flag design, representing the combination of her two ­cultures.

“(Mr Albanese) is misusing taxpayers’ money by hosting a political event at Kirribilli House for his campaign to showcase his Labor candidate,” she said, adding the PM should “save his campaign events for his private residence (in) Copacabana, where they belong”.

Leaders of the Vietnamese Community in Australia (VCA) group from around the country have been invited, but some said they could not come to Sydney at such short notice.

One invitee said they were looking forward to attending the “very kind gesture,” but said the event was “rushed”.

Another, VCA Victoria president Duy Quang Nguyen said his invite came at too short notice.

Labor Fowler candidate Tu Le (right) with Labor Senator Tony Sheldon at one of the citizenship ceremonies. Picture: Facebook/Tony Sheldon

Former VCA president Kate Hoang, who was not invited, said the PM had politicised the event by inviting a Labor candidate but not a Vietnamese MP: “Dai Le is a very successful person who came as a refugee from Vietnam, so I think she should be invited (too).”

Another former president, Paul Nguyen, accused Labor of playing politics.

“(The PM) is using a very significant event as part of a campaign for Tu Le,” Mr Nguyen, a Liberal Party member, said.

“He’s using the 50th anniversary of our community arriving in Australia as an ALP event.”

State MPs with Vietnamese heritage – including Cabramatta MP Tri Vo – were also left off the guest list.

It comes just a week after Ms Le claims she was not invited to Mr Burke’s industrial-scale citizenship ceremonies, which were attended by Tu Le.

Mr Burke said he told Ms Le in person that she was welcome to come but Ms Le called that a “BS lie”.

Ms Le was, however, recently invited to the Lodge as part of an event for the PM to woo crossbench MPs.

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Originally published as PM to host Labor candidate at Kirribilli for Vietnamese community event, but Dai Le snubbed