In this election series, Crikey teams up with the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Advancing Journalism to delve into the heart of federal marginal seat Chisholm, in south-east Melbourne, to see what people are thinking about in the lead-up to the poll. Find more of the series here.
Charlie Lee is feeling the weight of the democratic process ahead of his first vote in an Australian election. His hometown, Shanghai, is in crisis, locked down amid a COVID surge and a food shortage in some regions of the city. The power of politics is front of mind.
“In China, there is a saying that democracy cannot feed you as food, but what’s happening in Shanghai now shows democracy can save you from hunger … when a dictator comes up with a solution at a whim, people in the entire city suffer,” he says.
“Now I am holding the power of democracy in my own hands. I feel a bit nervous.”
Lee, a 23-year-old Chinese Australian studying for a masters of translation at Monash University, lives on the eastern fringe of Glen Waverley with his mother. He has little engagement with local communities and confesses he has no clue which candidate or party can best advocate for his needs and concerns.
“I’m now like a piece of blank paper,” he says. “I have zero impressions about any MPs. Any concrete information can influence my voting decision.”
So far in the campaign, “concrete information” doesn’t go beyond a letter in the mailbox from Chisholm’s sitting member, Liberal Gladys Liu. Lee says he’s received “absolutely nothing” in the way of election material. Neither has he had contact with Liu, nor other candidates, since he moved to Glen Waverley in February last year.
Lee’s twin focus ahead of the election is on the environment and Australia’s relationship with China.
He arrived in Australia a decade ago, aged 13, with his mother. Lee was initially reluctant to become an Australian citizen because China does not recognise dual citizenship, but later changed his mind. “After observing what has happened in China in recent years, I feel like I don’t want to be a Chinese citizen anymore.”
Lee is concerned about the Chinese government’s intellectual property theft and “interference with other countries’ political activities through great economic powers.”
“I want to vote for a candidate who can take a tough stance towards China, but I don’t know which party can do this,” he says.
“That said, I don’t want to vote for someone who is anti-Chinese … Chinese people and the Chinese Community Party are two different concepts. A lot of Chinese people are not in support of the Chinese government.”
Lee does not want Australia to “repeat the history of discrimination against Chinese” and worries that seeing China as a target would have “unpredictable consequences” for the Chinese community in Australia.
“From my general impression, Australian people are friendly … I hope all members of the Asian community can be well protected here,” he says.
It appears unlikely that Lee’s first vote in Australia will be for Liu. The Labor campaign has raised concerns, alleging she has ties with the Chinese government and has spread misinformation on Chinese social media, and he now has his doubts.
“I think she is misleading some Chinese people who do not care or know much about politics, taking advantage of Chinese voters using her ethnicity,” he says.
Lee has researched the various parties’ climate policies and is now leaning towards voting Greens or Labor. He would pick the “more radical candidate” if they could help drive change.
“I have great concerns about climate problems. Some politicians value short-term interests over the future of this planet,” he says.
“I am angry, but what can my anger do? Society always wants to maintain the status quo and that’s what is going to bring the planet to destruction.”
