Election 2025: Chinese operative admits he has been helping Labor at elections for years

Election watchdog widens probe as Labor networker and ‘friend’ of Clare O’Neil admits to recruiting volunteers from a group linked to the Chinese Communist Party, offering tips on how to divide the Chinese community here.

Chap Chow, above, far right, with Housing Minister Clare O’Neil, second from left, and Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, second from right.

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A Labor Party member at the centre of a controversy over the recruiting of Chinese volunteers for Housing Minister Clare O’Neil says he has “mobilised” political campaigners from an ­organisation linked to the CCP over multiple federal elections.

As the Australian Electoral Commission broadened its investigation on Wednesday into the axed plan to provide volunteers for Ms O’Neil from the Hubei ­Association, Chap Chow described himself as a political ­organiser and “friend” of the ­Albanese government cabinet minister.

Mr Chow said he travelled on a trip to China funded by a Chinese airline and it can also be revealed he campaigned to keep mainland Chinese separated from Hong Kong and Taiwanese community members as part of a planned redistribution of federal electorates in Melbourne.

The Australian has obtained an email written last year by Mr Chow relating to the AEC’s ­redistribution in which he ­“expressed his concerns” over the plan to include the suburb of Box Hill in the electorate of Menzies.

In the letter, the Labor Party member suggested it would be better to keep voters with mainland Chinese heritage apart from Hong Kong and Taiwanese people if possible to “avoid riots”.

“The electorate of Menzies contains two suburbs … Doncaster and Templestowe which respectively each accommodates large proportion of Chinese Australians,” the email states.

“Box Hill too contains quite a large proportion of Chinese … the only difference is, while the ­Chinese who live in Doncaster and Templestowe are mainly ­immigrants from Taiwan and Hong Kong, those who live in Box Hill are predominantly from mainland China.

“Given the tension in recent history over the Taiwan Strait and the Hong Kong riot, mixing … does not foster social harmony … the Eastern Freeway … would make a most convenient and identifiable border.”

The election watchdog revealed on Wednesday it would refer allegations that Hubei ­Association was planning to send out 10 Chinese volunteers to Ms O’Neil’s electorate of Hotham to a national taskforce for ­investigation.

Chinese volunteers wearing shirts promoting Kooyong teal MP Monique Ryan.

Hubei Association president Ji Jianmin. Picture: Mohammad Alfares

As part of its ongoing investigation into the use of two Hubei-linked volunteers by Kooyong teal MP Monique Ryan, the AEC will review the revelations around Mr Chow.

“They will review all current reporting, and other available ­information, as part of what they’re looking into,” an AEC spokesperson said.

The taskforce is made up of officials from several government agencies, including the federal police, ASIO and the AEC.

Mr Chow – ALP member #62828 who joined the party in 2004 and who previously worked as an electorate officer for former state Labor MP Hong Lim — said he was “helping” Ms O’Neil’s campaign and confirmed he initiated the plan to recruit Hubei Association members for the minister.

“My own idea, yes,” he told The Australian. “I did ask and I did encourage many people, not only (from) Hubei, but from a lot of other associations.

“I asked a lot of associations, a lot of my friends. Year after year, every election, I mobilised, not only for the Labor Party, but ­people who are friendly to me to help me.”

Mr Chow rejected the idea that foreign influence was a genuine concern, calling recent media attention “unnecessary”.

“We have very strong anti-­foreign influence laws,” he said.

Hubei Association president Ji Jianmin said the organisation planned to direct 10 volunteers to man polling booths in Ms O’Neil’s seat on election day and was disappointed the plan had been axed.

Ms O’Neil has distanced ­herself from the plan saying no one in her office was involved in the Hubei recruiting attempt and her office declined the offer when learning of it.

Mr Chow, 79, said it was “my idea” to dump the plan after news of the Hubei volunteers in Kooyong broke on Monday, saying “this sensitive time is not ­appropriate to have this sort of controversy”.

Mr Chow also acknowledged he had previously travelled to China on a trip funded by Hainan Airlines, which he said was supported by Chinese tourism interests. “I didn’t go alone … They were trying to whip up some business for travelling,” he said.

He added that he was included as a community leader and had formerly been recognised as a “People’s Australia Ambassador”.

Mr Chow said there were no discussions relating to foreign influence on the trip.

In the midst of last year’s redistribution of electorates, Mr Chow confirmed he campaigned to keep mainland Chinese separated from Hong Kong and Taiwanese community members.

Although Mr Chow has no ­formal role in Ms O’Neil’s office, Labor sources said he operated as an ­“intermediary” between the Chinese community and the ALP in the southeast Melbourne ­suburbs.

Mr Chow is also an active ­supporter of federal Labor MP for Chisholm, Carina Garland, and attended an event with her in ­Parliament House.

Mr Chow was also appointed as a community ambassador by former Labor prime minister Julia Gillard in 2012.

Mr Chow described himself as a political organiser who regularly mobilised members of various Chinese-Australian community groups to assist friendly candidates across party lines.

He also admitted receiving small gifts such as wine or tea leaves from visiting Chinese delegates in the past, which he said was standard cultural exchange:

“Honestly, I didn’t think it was a big deal,” he said.