Chinese Australians are lending their broad disappointment and sense of humour to the current round of accusations from the Liberal party. They were outraged that the party even insinuated that “spies” were signing up for the Labour Party. Foreign Minister Penny Wong denounced this allegation as scare-mongering. Despite this, the Act has generated considerable blowback from the Chinese Australian community, particularly in electorates with large Chinese heritage populations.
The outcry grew loud enough after Senator Jane Hume’s remarks that she took to twitter herself to deny the accusation. In reply, Gladys Liu, the first Chinese-born person elected to Australia’s House of Representatives in 2019, contacted the Coalition leaders. Liu described her feelings of disappointment regarding Hume’s remarks and took proactive steps by contacting Peter Dutton and the Coalition’s campaign manager, urging them to apologize to Chinese Australians.
Community Reaction
The flip side of the backlash against the Liberal Party was tremendous. This was particularly notable in electorates such as Menzies, Bennelong, Reid and Chisholm, where energetic, engaged Chinese Australian communities flourish. Residents in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs took to social media to share their anger. They thought their loyalty to Australia was unfairly called into question during election campaigns.
Hao Luo, president of the Reid Business Community, articulated this sentiment clearly:
“We want to be treated as Australians.”
Luo, a Republican, stressed that the personal connections between leadership of the major parties and China impacted his voting record. The need for this represents a significant trend in Chinese Australians’ growing perceptions of being unnecessarily targeted for suspicion.
Special thanks to former Chinese diplomat Han Yang for adding depth to this discussion. He focused on how the viral “Chinese spies” video and other similar videos damage community relations. He noted that such comments stoked white rage. All of this washed over and accomplished nothing to support the Liberal Party regaining back seats in ridings with major Chinese caseloads.
“It sounded like a joke in a TV interview, but it’s very irresponsible and I was very disappointed,” – Gladys Liu.
Political Implications
The impact of these allegations goes beyond creating an unwelcoming environment for the community. These unfounded allegations have resulted in harmful political outcomes. The proportion of Asian Members of Parliament grew from 11% to 23%, with representatives from Chinese backgrounds doubling to six following the election. Labor’s electoral strength was further amplified across all four key electorates with sizeable ethnic Chinese populations. This pivot is concerning because it presages a huge shift in political dynamics.
Dr. Wang, a prominent community voice, remarked that Chinese Australians are no longer satisfied with being passive participants in politics.
“More representation means more accountability. Chinese Australians want to be part of the national conversation — not sidelined by suspicion,” – Dr. Wang.
He expressed his concern that singling out Chinese Australians to undergo loyalty tests is discriminatory. He noted that no other communities are subjected to such scrutiny. The deeper meanings of these feelings were echoed by Wong, who recognized the targeting at play.
“I found it a bit too much targeting Chinese Australians. There are over a million Chinese people in Australia,” – Ms. Yang.
The Path Forward
Chinese Australians are more familiar with speaking up about their role in the national story than ever before. They call to be treated as first-class citizens deserving of the same rights and responsibilities. This assertiveness in the face of boundary-making from above shows an impulse towards integration instead of the xenophobia or exclusion rooted in ethnicity.
Dr. Wang reflected on this evolving dynamic within the community, stating:
“If you only ask Chinese to show their loyalty, that’s targeting.”
He likened the scenario to an athlete hitting an own goal at a critical point in a game. He warned that these irresponsible comments threaten to upend any hope of good faith political discussion.
Chinese Australians are on the offensive against what they rightly perceive to be unfair scapegoating. In doing so, they are reshaping their political identity and taking ownership of their rightful place in Australian society. This movement may ultimately lead to more diverse representation in politics and a more comprehensive national conversation that includes all voices.
