Julian Leeser (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like acknowledge the passing of two significant Chinese community leaders, and in doing so I want to associate myself with the remarks of the member for North Sydney about the late Hudson Chen, who was a lion of the Chinese community within the Liberal Party, along with other such greats as Ben Chow and Helen Sham-Ho. Hudson and his wife, Eve, were very devoted to the party, the Chinese community and the Catholic Church. To Eve and her family I say may Hudson's memory be a blessing.

I also wanted to talk about master Richard Lu, an Australian Chinese community leader and a spiritual leader of global significance. I first met Richard during an interview at the Australia Oriental Media Group in 2017. As the proprietor of a Chinese and English language newspaper broadcasting business, Richard was very proud of the fact that his group was free of interference and remained independent. Richard Lu was also very committed to interfaith relations and had amazing connections all over the world. One of the kindest things he did for me was to introduce me to his friend, Emanuelis Zingeris, who was a respected leader of the Lithuanian Jewish community and a member of parliament in that country. It says something about the multiculturalism of Australia that a Chinese community leader would introduce two Jewish community leaders from opposite sides of the world, but such was the nature of Richard Lu. Given his status as a Buddhist master, I was pleased to also introduce him to the Buddhist monastery in my electorate, the Mahamevnawa Buddhist monastery at Cattai. He formed a great friendship with him. To his son, his family and his followers, I offer my sincere condolences on the passing of a great man.