Latest news with #Chinese-Australian
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Plea to Albo over Aussie jailed in China
Anthony Albanese has been urged to stop being 'too soft' on the Chinese government amid negotiations to free Chinese-Australian writer Yang Hengjun from a Beijing prison, with a friend and support saying Chinese authorities have taken the 'good word of the Australian government' as 'a weakness'. Dr Yang, an Australian citizen, has languished in a Beijing prison cell since 2019, when he was arrested at Guangzhou airport and accused of espionage, before being given a suspended death sentence in February 2024. He has always maintained his innocence. Feng Chongyi, who supervised the father-of-two during his PhD at the University of Technology Sydney, said Dr Yang's health had continued to decline following seven years of detention and said he urgently needed to be released to Australia for medical treatment. Dr Feng said Dr Yang had been tortured and put through sleep deprivation, and has been unable to receive treatment for a 10cm kidney cyst. While he acknowledged the Australian government's involvement in Dr Yang's case, with the Prime Minister expected to continue conversations when he heads to China later this week, he said progress has been too slow and 'soft'. Mr Albanese has confirmed meetings with Chinese Communist Party President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and National People's Congress Chairman Zhao Leji. 'What is the criteria for progress? They sentenced Yang Hengjun to the death penalty? Is that a progress? I don't think so,' Dr Yang told NewsWire. 'The good word of the Australian government has been taken by Chinese authorities as a weakness.' Dr Feng suggested trade could be used as a leverage to promote, like reciprocal tariffs and refusing to export resources like coal, iron ore or rare earths. 'They took the soft approach to (get) goodwill with the Chinese government and in return they expect Chinese authorities to do something good for Yang Hengjun or release Yan Hengjun,' he said. 'It's been more than six years and the soft approach has not worked. The Australian government has leverage on trade … but if Australia is serious about human rights, or want to make the life of an Australian citizen as a priority, they could opt for a reciprocal approach.' In May, Dr Yang penned a letter to Mr Albanese marking his sixth year in jail, and described the 'unbearable suffering' he had faced and thanked the Australian government for doing the 'utmost to bring me home for medical care and reunification with my family'. 'I feel all of your support beside me as I stagger through the hardest and darkest chapter of my life, allowing me to immerse in the warmth of humanity,' he wrote. 'It has helped me to understand the value of words and deeds of a government of the people, by the people, for the people – to enable me to fully understand the true meaning of being an Australian citizen.' A spokesman for Mr Albanese said the government 'will continue to advocate for Dr Yang's interests and wellbeing at every opportunity'. In the days after Dr Yang was given the suspended death sentence, Mr Albanese said Australia had conveyed 'our dismay, our despair, our frustration … (and) our outrage at this verdict'. Most recently in May this year, he said he would 'advocate for Dr Yang's interests and wellbeing at every opportunity''. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has also reiterated the desire to see Dr Yang reunited with his family, and in February issued a statement stating Australia remained 'appalled' by the sentence. 'We hold serious concerns about Dr Yang's health and conditions. We continue to press to ensure his needs are met and he receives appropriate medical care,' he said. 'Dr Yang is entitled to basic standards of justice, procedural fairness and humane treatment, in accordance with international norms and China's legal obligations.' Coalition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash said Mr Albanese's upcoming trip was the 'perfect opportunity' for conversations to be raised 'directly with the Chinese leadership'. 'It is incumbent on Mr Albanese to advocate at the highest levels for Dr Yang's release from the unjust detention imposed on him,' she said.
AU Financial Review
5 days ago
- Business
- AU Financial Review
Government, business reject criticism of PM's China ‘working holiday'
The opposition's dismissal of Anthony Albanese's trip to China as a 'working holiday' has been rejected by the government and business, while alarming some Liberals who fear the party has failed to learn from the past two elections, when it was roundly rejected by Chinese-Australian voters. As the prime minister flew home on Friday following a six-day visit which covered three cities, the opposition stepped up its criticism of him for spending so long in China, especially his visit to the Great Wall and a panda sanctuary.
Sydney Morning Herald
6 days ago
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Why isn't there a single social media-savvy MP in Parliament?
Chandler-Mather is in some ways a poor messenger, given his loss, but he insists there are longer-term risks from politicians' lack of engagement with voters on social media platforms. 'Australia's going down the pathway of this sort of slow disengagement,' says Chandler-Mather. 'Like, the number of people disengaging from politics increases every year. The number of people who feel sort of distrustful of politics increases every year.' Tim Doyle, a marketing savant who has done contract work for Labor in the past and now leads telehealth company Eucalyptus, says Australian political parties are behind much of the Western world. 'They also only fire up the engine, which needs to be always on, about six weeks before an election,' Doyle says. Where an American politician like Mamdani might throw himself into the ocean fully clothed in midwinter as he declares 'I'm freezing… your rent', Australian MPs play it safe, Doyle says. 'Politicians are terrified of being vulnerable and that's the essential thing for social media,' he says. 'They have no idea what engagement matters. They preach to their true believers, who like and share their content, but that does nothing to convince the undecided voters they need.' Good social posts, he says, 'should make your true believers a little bit uncomfortable.' Only a handful of politicians tiptoe into the stunts and trends that might distinguish them online from the parade of slick brand videos and AI-generated slop. Dan Repacholi, the MP for the Hunter in NSW, has, for example, posted videos with fake wounds to promote safety in the mining industry and tells men to 'watch your nuts' as part of his role as a men's health envoy. One Nation's Please Explain cartoon has flourished online, but is between seasons. And Keith Wolahan, a Liberal MP who did extensive social media directed at Chinese-Australian voters, lost his Melbourne seat at the election. Loading But most MPs have only a few thousand followers, far fewer than niche hobby influencers, and fill their feed with screenshots of press releases, clips from television interviews and awkward, unedited speeches about the opening of local facilities. One Labor MP, speaking on condition of anonymity, says the government has no unified social media strategy outside of elections. 'People just do their own social media,' the MP says. 'After coming to government, I just don't have the time.' Former Labor campaign strategist Megan Lane says Australia's compulsory and preferential voting system means that politicians here can use social media differently than other countries. There is no need to persuade voters to back a candidate in a primary, to bring disengaged people to a booth on polling day, or to tack to extremes because preferential voting tends to bring those ballots back to the parties in the centre. Politics is also less polarised, making it less likely to be picked up by an algorithm online. 'Instead of exciting rusted-on supporters to drive up voter turnout, Australian politicians are essentially focused on persuading punters that they are the least bad option,' Lane says. Mainstream media too still has huge influence. Seven's Sunrise breakfast television program, for example, had a national average audience of 399,000 people as of July 16, according to figures from industry measurement provider Virtual Australia. Morning interviews often draw further reporting from outlets, as do scoops in newspapers, multiplying their audience throughout the day. But another dynamic is staffing. Political staffers on both sides of politics, who were not authorised to speak publicly, said social media was typically the responsibility of the most junior person in an MPs office. Career progression required going into policy development or traditional public relations. 'They all think about traditional media all the time and never social,' Doyle says of politicians, who are in their mid-40s on average when elected, according to data from the Parliamentary Library. Jenrick's approach is different. The MP employs a 21-year-old called Dov Forman to film his videos. Uniquely among political staffers, Forman is a social star in his own right who racked up millions of views filming the stories of his great-grandmother, a Holocaust survivor, during the pandemic. His expertise is evident in his style. Where most Australian MPs talk straight into the camera, Forman's videos for Jenrick are frenetic. His 58-second clip on fare evasion has 33 jump cuts. There is a risk in getting social media wrong, though. 'It's a personal choice,' says the Labor MP. 'How do you get people to focus on your message without turning yourself into a clown?' 'Some people in the crossbench are happy to veer towards silly stuff but if you want to be serious in government I don't think it's worthwhile.' Loading Chandler-Mather, the former Greens MP who developed a huge social media following, disagrees. 'The idea that 'We're a party of government, and so we can't propose anything other than tinker around the edges' is a completely self-serving argument,' Chandler-Mather says. He argues that politicians from the major parties lack the charisma and appealing messages that work online. 'To be honest, the calibre of Australian politician isn't fantastic,' Chandler-Mather concludes. His loss, he says, was a result of major party preferences and being outspent.
The Age
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Age
Why isn't there a single social media-savvy MP in Parliament?
Chandler-Mather is in some ways a poor messenger, given his loss, but he insists there are longer-term risks from politicians' lack of engagement with voters on social media platforms. 'Australia's going down the pathway of this sort of slow disengagement,' says Chandler-Mather. 'Like, the number of people disengaging from politics increases every year. The number of people who feel sort of distrustful of politics increases every year.' Tim Doyle, a marketing savant who has done contract work for Labor in the past and now leads telehealth company Eucalyptus, says Australian political parties are behind much of the Western world. 'They also only fire up the engine, which needs to be always on, about six weeks before an election,' Doyle says. Where an American politician like Mamdani might throw himself into the ocean fully clothed in midwinter as he declares 'I'm freezing… your rent', Australian MPs play it safe, Doyle says. 'Politicians are terrified of being vulnerable and that's the essential thing for social media,' he says. 'They have no idea what engagement matters. They preach to their true believers, who like and share their content, but that does nothing to convince the undecided voters they need.' Good social posts, he says, 'should make your true believers a little bit uncomfortable.' Only a handful of politicians tiptoe into the stunts and trends that might distinguish them online from the parade of slick brand videos and AI-generated slop. Dan Repacholi, the MP for the Hunter in NSW, has, for example, posted videos with fake wounds to promote safety in the mining industry and tells men to 'watch your nuts' as part of his role as a men's health envoy. One Nation's Please Explain cartoon has flourished online, but is between seasons. And Keith Wolahan, a Liberal MP who did extensive social media directed at Chinese-Australian voters, lost his Melbourne seat at the election. Loading But most MPs have only a few thousand followers, far fewer than niche hobby influencers, and fill their feed with screenshots of press releases, clips from television interviews and awkward, unedited speeches about the opening of local facilities. One Labor MP, speaking on condition of anonymity, says the government has no unified social media strategy outside of elections. 'People just do their own social media,' the MP says. 'After coming to government, I just don't have the time.' Former Labor campaign strategist Megan Lane says Australia's compulsory and preferential voting system means that politicians here can use social media differently than other countries. There is no need to persuade voters to back a candidate in a primary, to bring disengaged people to a booth on polling day, or to tack to extremes because preferential voting tends to bring those ballots back to the parties in the centre. Politics is also less polarised, making it less likely to be picked up by an algorithm online. 'Instead of exciting rusted-on supporters to drive up voter turnout, Australian politicians are essentially focused on persuading punters that they are the least bad option,' Lane says. Mainstream media too still has huge influence. Seven's Sunrise breakfast television program, for example, had a national average audience of 399,000 people as of July 16, according to figures from industry measurement provider Virtual Australia. Morning interviews often draw further reporting from outlets, as do scoops in newspapers, multiplying their audience throughout the day. But another dynamic is staffing. Political staffers on both sides of politics, who were not authorised to speak publicly, said social media was typically the responsibility of the most junior person in an MPs office. Career progression required going into policy development or traditional public relations. 'They all think about traditional media all the time and never social,' Doyle says of politicians, who are in their mid-40s on average when elected, according to data from the Parliamentary Library. Jenrick's approach is different. The MP employs a 21-year-old called Dov Forman to film his videos. Uniquely among political staffers, Forman is a social star in his own right who racked up millions of views filming the stories of his great-grandmother, a Holocaust survivor, during the pandemic. His expertise is evident in his style. Where most Australian MPs talk straight into the camera, Forman's videos for Jenrick are frenetic. His 58-second clip on fare evasion has 33 jump cuts. There is a risk in getting social media wrong, though. 'It's a personal choice,' says the Labor MP. 'How do you get people to focus on your message without turning yourself into a clown?' 'Some people in the crossbench are happy to veer towards silly stuff but if you want to be serious in government I don't think it's worthwhile.' Loading Chandler-Mather, the former Greens MP who developed a huge social media following, disagrees. 'The idea that 'We're a party of government, and so we can't propose anything other than tinker around the edges' is a completely self-serving argument,' Chandler-Mather says. He argues that politicians from the major parties lack the charisma and appealing messages that work online. 'To be honest, the calibre of Australian politician isn't fantastic,' Chandler-Mather concludes. His loss, he says, was a result of major party preferences and being outspent.
Sky News AU
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
'They remind me of the young Kennedys': The reason social media is comparing Jodie Haydon to Jackie Onassis during China trip with Albo
Australia's unofficial 'First Lady' Jodie Haydon has sent the internet into a frenzy after wearing a striking $599 dress during a visit to the Great Wall of China. Ms Haydon stepped out in the floral frock, designed by Chinese-Australian designer Leo Lin when she joined Anthony Albanese on a visit to the historic landmark on Wednesday. She paired the cotton dress with hand-painted daisies and camellias, cinched by a belt, and completed the look with a white fedora and sneakers for the event, while Mr Albanese opted for a blue polo, jeans, sneakers, and a white South Sydney Rabbitohs cap. The diplomatic fashion choice was lauded by many as a savvy nod to Australia's multicultural ties, and likened to the kind of sartorial diplomacy often practised by royals. "As an Australian-Chinese brand, we are thrilled to see Jodie Haydon wearing Leo Lin in Leo's home country," Leo Lin's head of brand, Laura Good told The Sydney Morning Herald. "Ms Haydon has been a strong supporter of the Leo Lin label for some time and we loved welcoming her in to our Sydney showroom ahead of the trip." Social media also lit up with praise, with one user posting on X: "Real leadership that Australia needs!!! Ms Jodie Haydon continues to be an amazing ambassador for Australia and especially Australian designers. She's wearing a design by Australian Chinese designers from Melbourne." "Ms Haydon is sheer class!" added another. Some admirers even drew comparisons to Camelot-era America: "These 2 are the Royal Family of Australia – like the early Kennedys. Real and adorable," one wrote. Not everyone was impressed, however, with one critic commenting that the couple's appearance resembled "trailer trash". The Great Wall visit marked a symbolic moment for Albanese, echoing former Labor leader Gough Whitlam's 1971 visit as Opposition Leader. Whitlam went on to establish diplomatic ties with China in 1973, paving the way for the modern Australia-China relationship. Ms Haydon's look also drew parallels with Tamie Fraser, wife of former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, who wore a similarly belted floral dress during her own Great Wall appearance in 1976. Speaking at the historic site, Mr Albanese told reporters the setting represented both history and harmony. "We are literally standing on history, history in recognition of the longevity of Chinese culture and Chinese achievement," he said. He also spoke about his meeting with China's top leader, Xi Jinping, in Beijing, the day prior. "Yesterday was an opportunity as well for us to develop the relationship between Australia and China," he said. "I've said consistently that we'll cooperate where we can, disagree where we must, but engage in our national interests." Following their visit to the Great Wall, the couple travelled to a panda conservation centre in Chengdu, wrapping up their six-day diplomatic mission to China.
