Australia China Friendship Society

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. J.S. Lee:

That this council—

1. Congratulates the Australia China Friendship Society for celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2016;

2. Acknowledges the significant work and commitment of the Australia China Friendship Society’s Committee and volunteers, past and present, who continuously work towards building and promoting a friendship between the peoples of Australia and China; and

3. Acknowledges the importance of their establishment and the society’s attempts at bringing to the Australian public a greater knowledge and understanding of China’s rich cultural heritage.

(Continued from 9 March 2016.)

The Hon. T.T. NGO (17:25): I rise on behalf of the government to support this motion. This year the South Australian branch of the Australia China Friendship Society celebrates its 50^th anniversary. This is a momentous feat. I myself have not been around for that long yet. For five decades the South Australian branch of the Australia China Friendship Society has been a cornerstone for building and improving the relationship that Australia shares with China.

The society was not born off the back of China's promise of trade or significant economic growth. It was created to break barriers and forge relationships—a role that the society still plays to this day through non-governmental diplomacy. Fifty years ago when the White Australia Policy was in place and relations with China were misunderstood, the Australia China Friendship Society had the foresight to lobby the commonwealth government for the diplomatic recognition of the People's Republic of China which happened in 1972.

I would also like to acknowledge that, although I have spoken previously in this chamber about how the ALP was complicit in its support of the White Australia Policy, it was Labor opposition leader Gough Whitlam who engaged first with the Chinese. He was the first leader of the Western world to visit China in 1971, and many people believe this visit paved the way for Australia's close relationship with China today.

The society has also played a role in developing South Australia's relationship with our sister state, Shandong. Back in 1985, a delegation of the society, led by Mr Jeff Emmel, went to Shandong province. Upon their return, they brought home the message of partnership which eventually led to South Australia and Shandong becoming sister states in 1986.

The society continues to proactively further South Australia's relationship with China. It organises many activities, including cultural art exhibitions in Murray Bridge and Mount Gambier. It also arranges specialised tools to China, scholarships to the Shanghai Normal University, annual youth camps in Shanghai and study tours that have resulted in sister school relationships.

It is of great importance that South Australians have a good understanding of Chinese culture. The South Australian community is home to over 15,000 people born in China, and over 16,000 people speak Mandarin at home. Our state is also home to a large number of ethnic Chinese from countries other than China, including people of Chinese heritage from Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan, just to name a few.

It is also important that we acknowledge the enormous contribution that the Chinese community has made to our state, both economically and culturally. We need to remember our relationship with China is more than a matter of business. I believe that a mutual understanding of Chinese and Australian cultures fosters ties that go beyond business transactions. I know that this is the view that the modern day ALP would endorse.

The government congratulates the South Australian branch of the Australia China Friendship Society for its 50 years of tireless work in bringing Australia and China closer together. I, therefore, endorse this motion.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (17:29): I rise briefly to commend the Hon. Jing Lee for bringing this motion to this chamber and to highlight the great work that the Australia China Friendship Society has done over its 50 years.

I had the great privilege on 25 February to accompany the Hon. Jing Lee to the society's 50^th anniversary dinner, and I think also there were some other members there, including the member for Hammond. A number of regional local government figures, including several mayors were in attendance, including the Mayor of Mount Barker, Ann Ferguson; the Mayor of Gawler, Karen Redman; and the Mayor of Barossa, Bob Sloane—and the honourable member reminds me that the federal member for Barker was there as well, Mr Tony Pasin; and also the state president of the LGA, Mr Dave Burgess, who is also the Mayor of Mid Murray.

It was good to see, I think, that regional influence there that supports this group. There is no doubt that the society has reached out beyond the confines of metropolitan Adelaide. It has, I think, unashamedly got those connections to regional communities who have a great deal to gain from heightening their relationship with China. This group has obviously, through its history, helped to open a lot of doors. I think that was recognised by those mayors who were there that evening. It was great that His Excellency the Governor was able to be there and speak at the event and he of course highlighted the work that the society, its president Ms June Phillips, and many other committed people have been doing and no doubt will continue to do.

It was interesting to learn that in 1951 and 1952, the Australia China Society, as the Australia China Friendship Society was then known, was established in Melbourne and Sydney. This was only two years after the founding of the People's Republic of China on 1 October 1949. Active members rendered numerous effective and beneficial works in increasing Australia-China friendship and this later contributed to the promotion of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Diplomatic relations were established between Australia and China in 1972.

Certainly, those brief sentences do encapsulate the work that this organisation has been able to do, I think. Governments and non-government agencies do a lot of work in these areas, but certainly those voluntary community organisations can sometimes do some of that heavy lifting that governments and NGOs are not necessarily able to do. So I do commend the South Australian branch of the Australia China Friendship Society for its 50^th anniversary and I also commend the Hon. Jing Lee for bringing it to the attention of the council.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (17:34): I would like to thank the Hon. Tung Ngo and the Hon. John Dawkins for supporting this important motion. What started with a very simple friendship then lasted that 50 years, growing from a diplomatic relationship to then developing trade gateways and offering exchanges for students and teachers and a lot more trade and business opportunities. It is pretty amazing, and the people who I have known for many years who have engaged in that process in the Australia China Friendship Society really ought to be congratulated for the work that they have done over the last 50 years, acting as a bridge, a facilitator and also, I suppose in some ways, a gateway between China and Australia, and indeed South Australia. Thank you very much to all honourable members for making a contribution and for supporting this motion.

Motion carried.