Highlights
- Pro-democracy activist Max Mok is running for the seat of Chisholm in Melbourne’s east at next year’s federal election
- Mr Mok said no candidate should have past, current or future connections to foreign powers who could influence local politics
- The seat is currently held by Hong Kong-born Liberal MP Gladys Liu, who previously came under criticism for her reported associations with groups with alleged links to the Chinese Communist Party
From the frontlines of the 2019 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, Max Mok is now considering a future in Australian politics.
The 21-year-old Australian, who was born and raised in Hong Kong, announced on October 18 his interest to run as a candidate for the east Melbourne seat of Chisholm in the next federal election.
He said his main motivation is to “confront foreign interference” by dethroning Liberal MP Gladys Liu who Mr Mok said has “undisclosed ties” to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Gladys Liu’s reported link to the international influence arm of the CCP
In 2019, it was that Ms Liu was previously associated with Australia-based organisations with alleged ties to the United Front Work Department, a CCP agency that aims to promote China’s political interest by exerting influence on overseas Chinese communities and foreign governments.
The ABC that one of the broader policies of the organisation is to influence expatriate Chinese individuals to join political parties and seek elected office.
Gladys Liu waves after delivering her maiden speech in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in 2019. Source: AAP
Ms Liu the broadcaster she joined the World Trade United Foundation, part of the CCP’s United Front work activities, in order to “support the promotion of trade between Australia and Hong Kong” and that she resigned from the group “around 2016”.
During the political storm, she said in a that she had cut ties with Chinese organisations that may have added her without her knowledge or consent.
Mr Mok said he’s aiming to participate in the federal election with a clear message to voters.
“As a Hong Kong – Australian who is focused on local interest, I’m running for the seat of Chisholm to send a clear message that nobody with past, current or future connections to the United Front Work Department should be allowed to have any connection with the [Australian] parliament or government departments,” he told SBS Chinese.
Liu recontesting her seat of Chisholm
The Australian-educated pro-democracy activist is a member of the newly formed political group “Drew Pavlou Democratic Alliance Party”.
In a , the leader of the party, Brisbane student Drew Pavlou, said his goal was to persuade 500 voters to swing against Ms Liu.
Mr Mok said he is confident this target can be achieved.
When SBS Chinese contacted Ms Liu for comment on Mr Mok’s campaign aimed at unseating her, a spokesperson from her office said the MP has never sought nor paid for membership of an organisation with direct links to foreign powers.
Any suggestion otherwise, is prejudiced and a misrepresentation of years of hard work and advocacy for Chinese-Australians.
The spokesperson said Ms Liu strongly opposes any form of foreign influence in Australia and “will continue to campaign against it both in the community and in Parliament”.
The email also listed public Ms Liu has made against the CCP, including denouncing the arrests of pro-democracy lawmakers and figures in Hong Kong since the implementation of Beijing’s National Security Law, which criminalises acts such as “collusion with foreign forces”.
Ms Liu will recontest for the seat of Chisholm after winning it in 2019, becoming the first Chinese female member of the House of Representatives.
“Ms Liu is confident that she will be re-elected but will take nothing for granted,” said her spokesperson.
Campaign not targeted at major parties, just individuals
Mr Mok has emphasised that his election campaign is not aimed at the Liberal Party or any major party.
“We want people to think about whether the candidate they’re voting for has links to the CCP through the United Front Work Department,” Mr Mok said.
“Australia should not tolerate the existence of foreign spies.”
Human rights activist Drew Pavlou (left). Source: Facebook/ HKIA Brisbane
He has called for voters who may be loyal to mainstream parties to jump ship and vote “according to their values and principles”.
“What we have to do is encourage these voters to take advantage of this opportunity to turn their votes to turn things around.”
SBS Chinese has contacted the Liberal Party, China’s ministry of foreign affairs, the Chinese embassy in Australia, and the Chinese Consulate General in Melbourne regarding Mr Mok’s expression of interest to run as a political candidate and the claims levelled against Ms Liu.
No replies were received before the writing of this story.
Focusing on local issues without turning a blind eye to human rights abuses overseas
Mr Mok says there are Uighur and Tibetan members of his party who are considering contending for federal electoral seats in Sydney and Adelaide.
The party also vows to tackle poverty and homelessness, fight for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights, turn Australia into a renewables superpower and stimulate the nation’s economic recovery.
“We want to push Australia to become a complete economy and confront the challenges we face in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Mr Mok.
Although he doesn’t currently live in the electorate of Chisholm, he says he has strong motivation to serve its people, having lived there when he was a student at Monash University.
He notes that the electorate is characterised by its large Chinese population - second to Sydney’s seat of Bennelong and home to diverse Chinese communities, including Taiwanese-Chinese, Hong Kong-Chinese, Malaysian-Chinese and Chinese from mainland China who immigrated to Australia after the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989.
He said: “The Chinese Communist Party and the United Front Work Department’s external propaganda machine promote to the outside world that they represent all Chinese groups and voices. We strongly disagree with this.”
“I believe that not only in Chisholm but also in Australia that many Chinese groups are afraid and feel suppressed by the United Front Work Department’s push to unite all Chinese people as one,” he added.
“We hope that people will be able to trust that we will speak on behalf of all Chinese communities who have been split up, united and forced to form a dominant body.”
Mok the likely underdog of next year’s election
Mr Mok concedes he is a “newcomer” who lacks political experience as a candidate who has never run for a seat in council, state or federal elections, but he thinks “that could be a good thing”.
“We have seen too much collusion between governments and businesses in local politics over the past 20 to 30 years. There aren’t only recent incidents in NSW and Victoria, but also the entire country.
“Time-honoured brands have begun to deteriorate.”
He says their party is not subject to collusion or donations by large companies.
Screen shot of Hong Kong Australian pro-democracy activist Max Mok. Source: SBS
“All our funds are from grassroots citizens. We rely on them for financial support.”
Mr Mok says he will spend the next few months meeting community members and local business owners ahead of the federal election, which must be held before May 21 next year.
In the last election, the marginal seat was won by Ms Liu (50.57 per cent) who narrowly defeated Taiwan-born Labor candidate Jennifer Yang by 1,110 votes (49.43 per cent).
It’s a must-win for opposition leader Anthony Albanese if he is to form government.
Labor’s candidate is Carina Garland, a former Victoria Traders Hall Council assistant secretary.
