Batong Pham
Encyclopedia
Batong Vu Pham is an Australia
n politician. He was an Australian Labor Party
member of the Western Australian Legislative Council
from November 2007 to May 2009. He was elected on a countback when Louise Pratt
resigned to run for the Senate, but was defeated for Labor preselection to run for a full term in the 2008 election
.
Pham was born in the town of Ba Ria
, South Vietnam
, near Long Tan
in Phuoc Tuy Province
(now in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province
of Vietnam
). His family fled the Vietnam War
when he was a baby, reaching Malaysia, where they gained refugee status, ultimately migrating to Australia
in 1969. His family settled in Perth
, where he became a strawberry farmer. Pham joined the Labor Party in 1996, and was a protege of former MP Ted Cunningham. Heavily associated with the New Right faction and seen as a "rising star", he sought preselection for the 2005 state election
, but was forced to settle for the unwinnable fourth position in East Metropolitan.
Pham received a second opportunity to enter parliament when, in late 2006, fellow MLC Louise Pratt
won preselection for a safe seat in the Australian Senate
, as part of a factional deal to allow Pham to contest the countback for her seat in the Legislative Council. However, in June 2007, while still awaiting Pratt's resignation, Pham suffered a massive brain aneurysm, resulting in his near death, lengthy hospitalisation, and confinement to a wheelchair. This caused concerns of a crisis in the near-deadlocked Legislative Council after Pratt's resignation in October, as the opposition would not confirm whether they would grant a 'pair' for the ill Pham. He was nonetheless sworn in on 26 November 2007, but was forced to take an immediate leave of absence, being too ill to attend further sittings. Pham made his inaugural speech to parliament 4½ months later, on 8 April.
Labor preselections for the forthcoming state election, due in late 2008 or early 2009, began in early 2008, and Pham announced an intention to recontest, receiving the strong support of his New Right faction. The faction, whose support was waning, chose to support Pham over veteran MLC and Legislative Council President Nick Griffiths
. However, the faction's support was not enough, and on 19 May, Pham lost a preselection vote by six votes to lawyer Linda Savage
, who had been endorsed by Premier Alan Carpenter
. The decision sparked an angry response from Pham's allies within the party, including Housing Minister Michelle Roberts
and former minister John D'Orazio
. It also received strong criticism from members of the state's Ethnic Communities Council and the media. Pham left Parliament in May 2009, when the new Legislative Council was sworn in.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. He was an Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
member of the Western Australian Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
from November 2007 to May 2009. He was elected on a countback when Louise Pratt
Louise Pratt
Louise Clare Pratt is an Australian politician. She has been a Labor member of the Australian Senate since July 2008, representing the state of Western Australia. She had been assured of election at the 2007 federal election after winning the first position on the Labor ticket, defeating incumbent...
resigned to run for the Senate, but was defeated for Labor preselection to run for a full term in the 2008 election
Western Australian state election, 2008
A general election was held in the state of Western Australia on Saturday 6 September 2008 to elect 59 members to the Legislative Assembly and 36 members to the Legislative Council...
.
Pham was born in the town of Ba Ria
Ba Ria
Bà Rịa is a town in Ba Ria–Vung Tau province in the southeast of Vietnam. Ba Ria is split from Vung Tau by a river crossed by Co May Bridge....
, South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
, near Long Tan
Long Tan
For the footballer, see Long Tan. Long Tân , is a village in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province, Vietnam, at . When it was part of South Vietnam, it was in Phước Tuy province....
in Phuoc Tuy Province
Phuoc Tuy Province
Phước Tuy Province was a province of South Vietnam. It now mostly corresponds to Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, just southeast of Ho Chi Minh City....
(now in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province
Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province
Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu is a province of Vietnam. It is located on the coast of the country's southeastern region. It also includes the Côn Đảo islands, located some distance off Vietnam's southeastern coast...
of Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
). His family fled the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
when he was a baby, reaching Malaysia, where they gained refugee status, ultimately migrating to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1969. His family settled in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, where he became a strawberry farmer. Pham joined the Labor Party in 1996, and was a protege of former MP Ted Cunningham. Heavily associated with the New Right faction and seen as a "rising star", he sought preselection for the 2005 state election
Western Australian state election, 2005
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 26 February 2005 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and all 34 members to the Legislative Council...
, but was forced to settle for the unwinnable fourth position in East Metropolitan.
Pham received a second opportunity to enter parliament when, in late 2006, fellow MLC Louise Pratt
Louise Pratt
Louise Clare Pratt is an Australian politician. She has been a Labor member of the Australian Senate since July 2008, representing the state of Western Australia. She had been assured of election at the 2007 federal election after winning the first position on the Labor ticket, defeating incumbent...
won preselection for a safe seat in the Australian Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
, as part of a factional deal to allow Pham to contest the countback for her seat in the Legislative Council. However, in June 2007, while still awaiting Pratt's resignation, Pham suffered a massive brain aneurysm, resulting in his near death, lengthy hospitalisation, and confinement to a wheelchair. This caused concerns of a crisis in the near-deadlocked Legislative Council after Pratt's resignation in October, as the opposition would not confirm whether they would grant a 'pair' for the ill Pham. He was nonetheless sworn in on 26 November 2007, but was forced to take an immediate leave of absence, being too ill to attend further sittings. Pham made his inaugural speech to parliament 4½ months later, on 8 April.
Labor preselections for the forthcoming state election, due in late 2008 or early 2009, began in early 2008, and Pham announced an intention to recontest, receiving the strong support of his New Right faction. The faction, whose support was waning, chose to support Pham over veteran MLC and Legislative Council President Nick Griffiths
Nick Griffiths
Nicholas David Griffiths is an Australian politician.He currently is the member of the Western Australian Legislative Council representing the East Metropolitan Region.Griffiths was born in Barry, Wales...
. However, the faction's support was not enough, and on 19 May, Pham lost a preselection vote by six votes to lawyer Linda Savage
Linda Savage
Linda Rosemary Savage is an Australian politician. Born in Perth, she was a lawyer before entering politics.Savage was third on the Labor Party ticket for the Legislative Council region of East Metropolitan at the 2008 Western Australian state election, but was not elected...
, who had been endorsed by Premier Alan Carpenter
Alan Carpenter
Alan John Carpenter is a former Australian politician. He was the 28th Premier of Western Australia, serving from 2006 to 2008. He took office following the resignation of Dr Geoff Gallop...
. The decision sparked an angry response from Pham's allies within the party, including Housing Minister Michelle Roberts
Michelle Roberts
Michelle Hopkins Roberts is an Australian politician. A member of the Australian Labor Party, she currently represents the Electoral district of Midland in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly....
and former minister John D'Orazio
John D'Orazio
John Biase D'Orazio was a Western Australian politician. A pharmacist by trade, he served as mayor of the City of Bayswater from 1983 until 2000, then was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly electorate of Ballajura in 2001, where he served until 2008.Elected as a member of the...
. It also received strong criticism from members of the state's Ethnic Communities Council and the media. Pham left Parliament in May 2009, when the new Legislative Council was sworn in.