Andrew Ho interviewed by Diana Giese for the Chinese Australian Oral History Partnership collection [sound recording]
- Bib ID:
- 2362738
- Format:
- Audio
- Author:
- Ho, Andrew Duc Bao, 1975-2019, interviewee
- Access Conditions:
- Access to be determined.
- Description:
-
- 2001 Mar. 23
- 3 digital audio tapes (193 min.)
- Series:
- Chinese Australian Oral History Partnership.
- Summary:
-
Ho, a local politician for Strathfield Council, Sydney, N.S.W., speaks of his parents' background, his mother of Russian descent but born in China, his father of Vietnamese descent, both eventually emigrated to Australia both studying at the University of N.S.W. his mother in Arts and his father in Engineering, encouraged as a child to sample all types of food regardless of ethnicity, Strathfield as a predominantly ethnic community, his popularity with the local Chinese community, his political beliefs in part influenced by his parents' opposition to communism, multiculturalism in Australia and the unifying beliefs that are the essence of being Australian, his views on immigration, how his interest in politics developed at school and his membership of the Liberal Party since age 16 and the mentoring he received there and on the Russian Ethnic Community Council, how he sees liberalism compared with Labor Party, Paul Zammit and Bill Jegorov as mentors, his rise in the Liberal Party despite his youth.
Ho speaks of the positions he has held in Strathfield Council such as Chairman of Community Services, seeking a healthy mixed representation in all forums, his work methods on Council and particularly his enjoyment of mediation, his part-time completion of his Law degree, his work with immigrants and refugees, local politics about helping people, the role of minor parties such as the Unity Party promoting Asian communities, his plans to move to another level of government, balancing urban development against environmental issues, public transport as a key political issue, the trend towards merging local Councils jeopardising the local democratic base, economies of scale better addressed by resource sharing on a regional level such as sharing joint service providers and specialisation schemes to save money, municipalities of 50,000 manageable but not larger, the need for more community services not less, bank closures leading to establishment of community banks, stereotyped as a youth advocate.
He speaks of selling vacuum cleaners door to door convinced him of the importance of tone of voice in holding people's attention, the need for forums such as the Chinatown Special Branch of the Liberal Party where ethnic issues are debated, his deselection from the local Liberal Party because of his stand against amalgamation, with their permission he stood as an Independent and was reelected as an Independent Liberal, his future ambitions, the changes in the Liberal Party since the resignation of Paul Zammit, never experienced racism until local politics where discrimination on stereotypes abounds, resignations of Zammit then Helen Sham-Ho cost Liberals much ethnic support, his political and personal relationships, to survive in politics need to minimise enemies, avoid hasty decisions, take breaks to reduce pressure, and focus on the long term view, need to promote equal opportunity and more immigration to stimulate economic growth, political participation at all levels the key to democracy.
- Notes:
-
- Recorded on Mar. 23, 2001 on Strathfield, N.S.W.
- Digital master available National Library of Australia;
- Index/Finding Aid Note:
- Timed summary (10 leaves) and uncorrected transcript (typescript, 103 leaves) available.
- Subject:
- Occupation:
- Local government politicians
- Other authors/contributors:
- Giese, Diana, 1947-, interviewer
- Related Records:
-
This belongs to the Chinese Australian Oral History Partnership.
This collection contains 17 records. - Copyright:
-
In Copyright
Contact us for information about copying. For access conditions return to the record display above.
- Reason for copyright status:
- Until 2071 [Created/Published Date + 70 Years]
Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Sound Recording
- Published status:
- Unpublished
- Creation date:
- 2001
Copyright status may not be correct if data in the record is incomplete or inaccurate. Other access conditions may also apply. For more information please see: Copyright in library collections.
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