Congratulations to Kim Wen (温方臣) on becoming the President of the Rotary Club of Kew. Kim is the first person of Chinese heritage to be elected as the President of the Rotary Club of Kew in its history.
Ref: https://rotaryclubofkew.org.au/club-directors-2023-24/
We received the sad news that Dr. Tony Pun OAM (潘瑞亮博士) passed away last night (17 May 2023) in Sydney at the age of 77. Throughout his life, Tony was a fighter for social justice and a passionate advocate for the Chinese Australian community and played a pivotal role in founding the Chinese Community Council of Australia (CCCA).
The obituary for Tony Pun, written by Marcus Reubenstein, provides detailed information about his life and achievements. https://apac.news/passing-of-tony-pun-a-great-loss-for-all-australians/
Another obituary for Tony Pun by Martin Zavan appeared on The Sydney Morning Herald:
Ref: https://multicultural.nsw.gov.au/honour-roll/dr-tony-pun-oam/
What is the VLSB+C?
The Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner (VLSB+C) is a group authorised by the state of Victoria to help you if you have a problem with your lawyer. Asking your lawyer questions can help you to understand the legal process, create a better partnership, and get the best outcome.
It is your lawyer’s responsibility to:
To find information in your preferred language:
If you want more information in your preferred language, please dial TIS National on 131 450 and speak to one of their friendly team members. They can connect you with an interpreter to speak to the VLSB+C.
Chinese version:
什么是 VLSB+C？
维州法律服务委员会及专员（VLSB+C）是一个由维州授权的团体，当您与律师之间发生问题时，他们
可以帮助您。向您的律师提问，有助于您了解法律程序，建立更好的合作关系，并取得最佳结果。
您的律师有责任：
如需用您熟悉的语言查找信息：
如果您想用自己熟悉的语言获取更多信息，请拨打TIS National电话131 450，咨询他们友善的工作人员。 他们可以为您联系一名口译员，便于您与VLSB+C交谈。
CultureVerse on behalf of Sustainability Victoria invites members from Victorian multicultural communities to share your thoughts on reducing waste and recycling by filling out this short survey (5-10 minutes) in English, Arabic, Simplified Chinese or Punjabi.
请填写简短问卷(仅需5-10分钟)帮助回收和减少浪费:
https://cultureverse.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2f1VDLU0lGOfLIW
Responses from the survey will be used to develop information and initiatives that will help people from all cultural backgrounds lead a more sustainable life.
Thank you for your support.
Researchers at the Australian Parkinson’s Genetics Study (APGS) are calling for Chinese Australians to take part in ground-breaking nationwide research with the aim to crack genetic code of Parkinson’s Disease. Better understanding the genetic basis of Parkinson’s is essential to accelerate the discovery of new drug therapies to prevent, slow, stop and cure Parkinson’s Disease.
If you would like to help, please visit: https://www.qimrberghofer.edu.au/apgs/
昆士兰医学研究所的研究人员正在研究帕金森病患者的基因信息，以了解导致该病症的原因并改进治疗方法。研究人员呼吁华人志愿者的参与。通过您的参与，可以帮助研究人员更好地了解华人帕金森病患者的情况，为未来的患者提供更好的治疗。目前此项研究的非欧裔参与人员仅占7%，研究人员希望将这个比例提高到15%。
如果您有意报名參加此项研究(25分钟回答网上问卷和居家采集唾液样本)，请访问: https://www.qimrberghofer.edu.au/apgs/
While Parkinson’s affects people from all ethnicities, there are some variations in the genetic and clinical characteristics in Asian populations such as Indians and Chinese. Currently, only 7% of APGS participants identify as non-European, and researchers aim to increase this to 15% or more in the coming months.
With the help of Chinese Australians diagnosed with Parkinson’s, scientists can better understand differences in the disease presentation, progression, and treatment response among different populations.
Participation is easy and can be done from the comfort of your home. It involves a ~25 minute online (or paper-based) questionnaire and providing a saliva sample using a kit sent via traditional post.
The online questionnaire will ask information such as your contact details and questions about your experience with the disease, family history, medical history, lifestyle, and environmental risk factors.
After completing the online survey, participants may be asked to donate a saliva sample, from which researchers can extract their DNA to identify specific genes associated with Parkinson’s disease. Researchers will send a saliva collection kit together with a pre-paid return envelope to selected participants.
Volunteers with Parkinson’s disease who are:
Volunteers who DO NOT have Parkinson’s who are:
Today, we pay our respects and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
At least 213 Australians of Chinese heritage served in World War One. Among them, 36 Chinese-Australian soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice, losing their lives in battle. Additionally, 23 of these troops were awarded significant medals for their gallantry in combat.
Lest we forget.
Ref:
Information about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice Referendum
At the forthcoming 2023 referendum, Australians will be asked to vote on the following question:
“A proposed law to alter the constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?”
在今年稍后举行的2023年公投，澳大利亚人将被要求就如下问题回答：
“这项拟议法律：修改宪法，通过建立原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民之声（Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice）以承认澳大利亚的原住民族。你是否同意这一拟议修改？”
The proposed law that Australians are being asked to approve at the referendum would insert a new section into the Constitution (拟定提请澳大利亚人同意增加的宪法新章节内容为):
Chapter IX Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (第九章：承认原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民)
129 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice (第129节 原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民之声)
In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:
Ref 参考:
Mr Sam Lim MP spoke in parliament on 29 March 2023 to advocate multiculturalism, peace and harmony.
Mr LIM (Tangney) (19:35): Australia is a multicultural society. The contributions made by our multicultural communities shape our country for the better. It is the addition of colour, flavour, depth and dimension, in the form of culturally and linguistically diverse experiences, that enriches our way of life. But often—too often—the perception of our multicultural community is skewed by subliminal messaging or full-blown agitational remarks by our media. We must call this out.
I refer to an article from ABC news earlier this month, with the headline: ‘India: Narendra Modi calls on Albanese to combat Sikh attacks on Hindu temples in Australia’. This article was not only misleading but also so harmful to both the Sikh and Hindu communities in Australia.
I have large communities of Sikhs and Hindus in my electorate of Tangney. Canning Vale is the home of the first Sikh gurdwara in Western Australia. Canning Vale is also the home of the Perth Hindu Temple. Whilst there are differences, both communities work tirelessly to advocate for their people, and both communities are benefiting from the election commitment made by our government to their place of worship.
The recent incidents of violence highlighted in the article do not represent the Australian Sikh community. We must condemn any form of violence, but we must also ensure that we do not target an entire community. It is important to understand that the Sikhs follow the teachings of their gurus, which emphasise love, compassion and service to humanity. The recent incidents of violence do not reflect the values and the teachings encompassed by the Sikh faith.
Around the same time as this article from the ABC, the Daily Mail published a story online implying that three Chinese men taking photographs at the Avalon air show in Melbourne were spies! This was absolutely outrageous! I’m sure many of you have heard of my own personal experience, when I was doing campaigning and doorknocking in the Tangney electorate, where I, too, was being told, ‘Go back to China’—even though I was, in fact, born in Malaysia. We have all heard: ‘Do not judge a book by its cover.’ So why should the colour of my skin, the way I talk and the way I express myself be used against me as a weapon? The racial profiling in this article not only affected the victims but also caused profound discomfort and anxiety to many in the Chinese community and those of Asian heritage. It is unfair, unreasonable and unacceptable to suspect anyone with a camera at a public event—let alone anyone who looks Asian or to be of Chinese descent—of being a spy. The article has since been swiftly removed, after the Daily Mail received complaints and an open letter calling them out for their baseless accusations.
As leaders, it is our responsibility to ensure that we do not propagate false narratives that can harm our communities and divide us. I say this because more than 160 nationalities live in my electorate of Tangney. It reflects modern Australia, where we represent a unique and diverse set of cultures. We must work towards building bridges between our multicultural communities to promote peace and harmony. Hindsight is a great thing. I say this to all media watching or listening: let us acknowledge and appreciate the significant contribution of our multicultural communities in Australia. Let us all work together to promote peace and harmony between all communities, because our words are powerful. They should be used for unity, not division.
Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/b2sFTG87_V_8pY1IQmqkBg
澳大利亚是一个充满多元文化的社会。我们的多元文化社区为我们的国家作出了巨大的贡献，为我们的生活增添了色彩、味道、深度和维度。然而，我们时常发现本地媒体的潜在信息或极端言辞歪曲了我们多元文化社区的形象。我们必须指出这一这种现象。
ABC News本月早些时候发布的一篇文章，标题为：India: Narendra Modi calls on Albanese to combat Sikh attacks on Hindu temples in Australia’这篇文章不仅误导了读者，而且对澳大利亚的锡克教徒和印度教徒社区造成了极大的伤害。
在我代表的西澳 Tangney 选区，有着众多的锡克教徒和印度教徒社区。Canning Vale 是西澳大利亚第一个锡克教祈福堂的所在地，同时也是珀斯印度教寺庙的所在地。虽然两个社区存在差异，但他们都在为保护自己的群体不断努力，目前两个社区都受益于我们政府为他们的祈福场所做出的竞选承诺。
ABC News文章提到的暴力事件并不代表澳大利亚锡克教社区的立场。我们必须谴责任何形式的暴力，但同时也必须确保不将整个社区与这些事件联系起来。对于理解锡克教的教义来说，是非常重要的。锡克教的教义强调爱、同情和服务人类。最近的暴力事件并不反映锡克教信仰所包容的价值观和教义。
就在 ABC News 发布这篇文章的同时，Daily Mail 在网上发表了一篇报道，暗示在墨尔本Avalon航展上拍照的三名中国人是间谍。这种指控完全荒谬！
相信许多人都知道我的亲身经历，在 Tangney 选区的竞选和拜访期间，我也遭遇到“回到中国去”的指责，尽管实际上我是在马来西亚出生的。我们都听说过：“不要以貌取人”，那么为什么肤色、说话方式和表达方式会被用作攻击我的武器呢？这篇文章中的种族歧视不仅影响了受害者，还给许多华人社区和亚裔后代带来了深深的不适和焦虑。怀疑任何在公共场合拍照的人是间谍，更何况是任何看起来像亚洲人或华裔的人，这是不公平、不合理和不能接受的。该文章已经在 Daily Mail 收到投诉和公开信后被迅速删除。
作为领导者，我们有责任确保不宣传可能伤害我们社区和分裂我们的虚假叙述。我这么说是因为我所代表的西澳Tangney 选区有160多个国籍的人居住，它反映了现代澳大利亚的多元文化。我们必须努力构建我们多元文化社区之间的桥梁，以促进和平与和谐。事后回顾，这是一件好事。我对所有关注此事的媒体说：让我们承认和赞赏我们澳大利亚多元文化社区的重要贡献。让我们共同努力，促进所有社区之间的和平与和谐，因为我们的言论是有力量的。它们应该用于团结，而不是分裂。
Congratulations to Ms Jenny Leong (梁珍妮) and Mr Jason Yat-Sen Li (李逸仙) on Being Re-Elected as Members of the NSW Parliament
Ref:
ABC and SBS Reported on Chinese Australians’ Concerns about Racism
The Conversation reported on 28 March 2023: ‘The media normalises war-mongering’: how Chinese Australians respond to talk of war in mainstream media (https://theconversation.com/the-media-normalises-war-mongering-how-chinese-australians-respond-to-talk-of-war-in-mainstream-media-202500)
ABC reported on 24 March 2023: Chinese communities concerned about ‘spying‘ and ‘red alert’ report | 为什么“间谍”报道和《红色警戒》系列引发澳洲华人与媒体专家担忧？(https://www.abc.net.au/chinese/2023-03-24/chinese-communities-concerned-about-spying-red-alert-reports/102107214)
SBS reported on 16 March 2023: ‘Deeply unsettling’: Chinese Australians say ‘Chinese threat’ reporting and ‘spying’ claims may spark racism (https://www.sbs.com.au/language/chinese/en/article/deeply-unsettling-chinese-australians-say-media-war-rhetoric-and-recent-spying-claims-may-spark-racism/tl3twl3cg)