Talking Point: Matter of respect for Australian values
We love our Australian culture and respect our country’s values, write members of Tasmania’s Chinese community
Opinion
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Dear fellow Tasmanians, we are Australian Chinese who live in the greater Hobart region. Many of us are third and second generation Chinese immigrants, just like the Italians, Polish and Greeks who live in Hobart.
We love our Australian culture, respect our Australian values, we pay tax and obey Australian laws.
Many of us are volunteers who are involved in many local community events including the promotion of our own cultural events such as the Chinese Lunar New Year and Lantern Festivals.
Our aim is to promote an understanding and interaction with all ethnic groups.
We study hard, we work hard, we strive for a happy life as all Tasmanians do.
Recently there has been negative news about Chinese and as a result our community is now experiencing forms of racism.
Several of us have heard slurs such as, “Why do you Chinese endorse a candidate related to the Communist party?”
Four years ago, there were two candidates from the Chinese community standing for aldermen of Hobart City Council. No people criticised or questioned them of their loyalty to our Australia, or any hidden agenda with the Communist party, because they never had anything to hide.
It is important Hobart voters understand that Chinese candidate Yongbei Tang does not represent the majority of the Chinese community in Hobart.
We do not accept this candidate asking Chinese students and members of our community to donate cash.
We do not endorse her hiding of titles of many organisations including her association with the Chinese Government.
We believe it is inappropriate to register her name twice on the General Manager’s role, one as Yongbei Tang, the second as Tang Yongbei.
We will only endorse a candidate who respects the Australian life and its value while contributing to our community in a positive way. Thank you so much.
The 10 signatories have asked that their names be withheld. The Mercury has taken a principled stand in recent years to require the publication of opinion writers’ names. But in this circumstance, we believe there are higher principles involved that take precedence.
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