The Andrews Government’s Links to Migrant Communities
Two stories have emerged in the last 24 hours which appear to demonstrate the Victorian Andrews Government’s strong links to migrant communities in Melbourne, most would assume it is a way for it to continue to sweep up the state’s migrant vote.
The Australian has reported today two of the South Sudanese community leaders appointed to Victoria Police’s African-Australian Community Taskforce Richard Deng and Kot Manoah have been engaging in pro-Labor advocacy.
Deng participated in a far-left organised rally in Melbourne which was titled ‘Stop Criminalising African Communities’ at the beginning of February. During his speech he called for Malcolm Turnbull and Peter Dutton to be deported.
Both Deng and Manoah’s pro-Labor Facebook discussions have been exposed with Manoah saying “Labour values are traditionally focus on improving access for services and bridging the class difference. You as a son of a chief should always rally the farmers and farmers’ children to go Labour” with Deng replying “I intend to always be there for people’s party”. They have also been exposed making disparaging remarks about state Liberal MPs.
Even after Victoria’s summer of youth gang crime by men described as being of African appearance it would still seem with the public demanding action on law and order and a state election at years’ end Labor still believes gaining the Sudanese community’s vote is more important.
Also today the Herald Sun published a lengthy investigative piece which revealed the Andrews government’s connections with Chinese community groups which have pro-Beijing policy positions.
The key link to these groups is Labor MP for Clarinda in Melbourne’s south east Hong Lim who is listed as a former adviser to the honorary board of the Australian Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China which has links to the Chinese Communist Party.
Lim is also the Chairman of the Chinese Community Council of Australia’s Victorian branch advisory council, which received $70,000 in government funding last year. Both have not been listed on his parliamentary register of interests.
Lim also took credit for the Andrews’ Government making a formal apology to Chinese Victorians last year for a gold rush era policy 150 years ago which forced them to pay an extra tax.
One thing Labor parties all around the nations have been successful for many years is getting the migrant and ethnic vote. Even if Labor’s socially progressive policies conflict with migrants socially conservative views, as was demonstrated by safe Labor seats with large migrant populations voting no to same sex marriage, it doesn’t affect these communities continuing to vote Labor. As we saw in the Bennelong by-election part of Labor’s campaign pitch to these communities is to claim the other side has racist policies.
Therefore today’s revelations should be no surprise, but it is a reminder of where the Andrews’ government’s priorities are in a state election year.
