Gladys Liu (Chisholm, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As Melbournians are coming out of the longest lockdown, I would like to take this opportunity to commend the Chinese-Australian community, particularly those in my electorate of Chisholm, for what they have done during one of Australia's toughest times. In the early months of this pandemic in 2020, I was incredibly disappointed to see the uptick in racial abuse towards the Chinese-Australian community. According to the ABC, a shocking eight in 10 Asian Australians reported discrimination during the pandemic. I would like to thank the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, and many of my parliamentary colleagues who called out this regrettable, disgusting and un-Australian behaviour. When Chinese Australians felt excluded and got blamed for the pandemic that they had no part in creating, and at the same time had to suffer just like anyone else, the Prime Minister came out to bat for them. He said that Chinese Australians 'were the ones who first went into self-isolation'. He said, 'They led the way and the broader community is now following.' This has contributed to the low infection rate and death rate in Australia.

However, I was saddened by an outbreak in Box Hill, with one of my constituents passing away from COVID-19 only last week. He worked at a popular Chinese takeaway. Because of the slow action of the state government, this takeaway had not been listed as a tier 1 site days after his death, while heated debate and speculation on his death were widely circulated on Chinese social media, and many Chinese locals are feeling very concerned. I was also angered to hear that a small minority of people are seeking to capitalise on his death by pushing an antivaccination agenda, which will weaken the vaccine rollout and put people at risk. The facts about vaccination are clear. These vaccines are safe and effective. Vaccinated Australians are over 90 per cent less likely to be hospitalised after exposure to COVID-19, and they are 50 per cent less likely to pass the virus on to someone who can't be vaccinated.

I'm proud of the Chisholm community, and they are fully, firmly on board with the vaccination rollout.