Unity Party (Australia)
Encyclopedia
Unity Party is a small multiculturist party in Australia
, formed in 1997 with the aim of opposing the rise of controversial anti-immigration politician Pauline Hanson
. Initially billed as a party to unite Australians of all ethnicities against racism
, in practice it has never managed to draw significant support outside of Australia's East Asian ethnic communities. After the demise of Pauline Hanson as a political force, Unity has accordingly shifted its focus onto ethnic community affairs at a local government level.
Unity initially attracted much attention when it was founded in 1997, and ran candidates in almost every House of Representatives
seat at the 1998 election. While they had hopes of picking up a Senate candidate in New South Wales
with prominent lawyer Jason Yat-Sen Li, they ultimately fell well short. However, they did manage to outpoll the Australian Democrats
and Australian Greens
in some House of Representatives seats.
As the Hanson movement began to disintegrate, it also negated Unity's main platform, and the party soon fell into internal tensions. The party's founder, Dr Peter Wong, managed to win a seat in the New South Wales Legislative Council
with just 1% of the vote, and this came against the backdrop of a series of resignations - including that of Li. Wong soon stepped down as leader in favour of an Anglo-Australian in an attempt to broaden the party's base.
Unity's activities largely died down throughout 2000 and Wong acted as a virtual independent in the Legislative Council. However, with the re-emergence of Hanson's One Nation party at the 2001 Western Australian state election
, the party again came together and put together a large slate of candidates for the federal election that same year. Despite having several prominent candidates (such as former Melbourne City Council member Wellington Lee
in Victoria
), they fell even further short of electing any members to either house of federal parliament.
After their failure to break into federal parliament in 2001, Unity largely shifted its attentions to local government, running a number of councillors in largely non-Anglo-Celtic areas - primarily in suburban Sydney
. It did not run any candidates in the 2004 federal election.
Wong continued to represent Unity in the NSW Parliament, until the expiry of his term in March 2007. At the NSW March 2007 State Election, lead Unity Upper House candidate, Le Lam, managed to gain only 1.2% of the vote, which was insufficient to gain election. Consequently, Unity no longer holds seats in any Australian parliament.
The party did not contest the New South Wales state election, 2011
although Pauline Hanson
did.
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...
, formed in 1997 with the aim of opposing the rise of controversial anti-immigration politician Pauline Hanson
Pauline Hanson
Pauline Lee Hanson is an Australian politician and former leader of Pauline Hanson's One Nation, a political party with a populist and anti-multiculturalism platform...
. Initially billed as a party to unite Australians of all ethnicities against racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, in practice it has never managed to draw significant support outside of Australia's East Asian ethnic communities. After the demise of Pauline Hanson as a political force, Unity has accordingly shifted its focus onto ethnic community affairs at a local government level.
Unity initially attracted much attention when it was founded in 1997, and ran candidates in almost every House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
seat at the 1998 election. While they had hopes of picking up a Senate candidate in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
with prominent lawyer Jason Yat-Sen Li, they ultimately fell well short. However, they did manage to outpoll the Australian Democrats
Australian Democrats
The Australian Democrats is an Australian political party espousing a socially liberal ideology. It was formed in 1977, by a merger of the Australia Party and the New LM, after principals of those minor parties secured the commitment of former Liberal minister Don Chipp, as a high profile leader...
and Australian Greens
Australian Greens
The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...
in some House of Representatives seats.
As the Hanson movement began to disintegrate, it also negated Unity's main platform, and the party soon fell into internal tensions. The party's founder, Dr Peter Wong, managed to win a seat in the New South Wales Legislative Council
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
with just 1% of the vote, and this came against the backdrop of a series of resignations - including that of Li. Wong soon stepped down as leader in favour of an Anglo-Australian in an attempt to broaden the party's base.
Unity's activities largely died down throughout 2000 and Wong acted as a virtual independent in the Legislative Council. However, with the re-emergence of Hanson's One Nation party at the 2001 Western Australian state election
Western Australian state election, 2001
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 10 February 2001 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and all 34 members to the Legislative Council...
, the party again came together and put together a large slate of candidates for the federal election that same year. Despite having several prominent candidates (such as former Melbourne City Council member Wellington Lee
Wellington Lee
Wellington Lee AM, OBE is an Australian pharmacist and former Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne.Lee was born in Darwin in the Northern Territory, and attended Darwin Public School, Longreach State School, Ingham Rural School, Toowoomba Grammar School and finally the Royal Victorian College of...
in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
), they fell even further short of electing any members to either house of federal parliament.
After their failure to break into federal parliament in 2001, Unity largely shifted its attentions to local government, running a number of councillors in largely non-Anglo-Celtic areas - primarily in suburban Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. It did not run any candidates in the 2004 federal election.
Wong continued to represent Unity in the NSW Parliament, until the expiry of his term in March 2007. At the NSW March 2007 State Election, lead Unity Upper House candidate, Le Lam, managed to gain only 1.2% of the vote, which was insufficient to gain election. Consequently, Unity no longer holds seats in any Australian parliament.
The party did not contest the New South Wales state election, 2011
New South Wales state election, 2011
Elections to the 55th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday, 26 March 2011. The 16-year incumbent Australian Labor Party government led by Premier Kristina Keneally was defeated in a landslide by the Liberal-National coalition opposition led by Barry O'Farrell.New South Wales has...
although Pauline Hanson
Pauline Hanson
Pauline Lee Hanson is an Australian politician and former leader of Pauline Hanson's One Nation, a political party with a populist and anti-multiculturalism platform...
did.
Prominent past and present members
- Dr Peter Wong, former member of the New South Wales Legislative CouncilNew South Wales Legislative CouncilThe New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
(1999-2007) - Cr. Annie Tang, Deputy Mayor of Kogarah
- Cr. Alfred TsangAlfred TsangAlfred Tsang was the former mayor of the Municipality of Strathfield in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.- Early career :Tsang was formerly a staff at IBM, and also ran his own chain of restaurants known as "I love sushi". After Tsang became leader of the Unity Party, he was elected to...
, former Mayor of StrathfieldMunicipality of StrathfieldThe Municipality of Strathfield is a Local Government Area of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Municipality incorporates the suburbs of Flemington, Homebush, Homebush West, Strathfield South entirely, and shares the following suburbs with other Councils, Belfield, Greenacre, and Strathfield... - Cr. Le Lam, former Mayor of Auburn
- Cr. Jack Au, Deputy Mayor of Auburn
- Cr. Thang Ngo, Fairfield City Councillor
- Cr. Joshua Nam, Canterbury City Councilor
- Cr. Sylvia Chao, Willoughby City Councilor
- Randa Abdel-FattahRanda Abdel-FattahRanda Abdel-Fattah is an Australian-born writer of Palestinian and Egyptian parentage.-Personal life:Randa Abdel-Fattah is an Australian-born writer of Palestinian and Egyptian parentage. Abdel-Fattah grew up in Melbourne but now lives in Sydney where she is a lawyer. She lives with her husband...
, writer - Silma IhramSilma IhramSilma Ihram is an Australian pioneer of Muslim education in the West, founder and former school Principal of the 'Noor Al Houda Islamic College' in Sydney, and a campaigner for racial tolerance....
, Muslim educationist - Sarah KempSarah KempSarah Kemp is an actress best known for starring in the Australian soap opera Sons and Daughters, playing the highly popular but rather dizzy character, Charlie Bartlett, from 1982 to 1987....
, actress - Wellington LeeWellington LeeWellington Lee AM, OBE is an Australian pharmacist and former Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne.Lee was born in Darwin in the Northern Territory, and attended Darwin Public School, Longreach State School, Ingham Rural School, Toowoomba Grammar School and finally the Royal Victorian College of...
, former Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne