過去數年, 世界變得混亂, 澳洲作為多元文化國家也感受到極大壓力。

俄烏戰爭、以哈戰爭、中美貿易戰、中國「產能過剩」、南海誰屬引來美澳菲日軍事合作、南太平洋影響力爭持、台海主權宣示帶來地域形勢緊張等, 令到不少澳洲的移民社區及主流社會都有對世界安全及發展的不同看法。

澳洲政府的回應在於訂定新的國防策略、外交行動、移民計劃、及社會經濟發展策略等。不過, 澳洲政府在提出這些政策改變時, 到底對澳洲是一個怎樣的國家? 是否已充份考慮這一個多元民族社會的穩定性? 都是一個個不能逃避的問題。

在這些不同社會因素之下, 澳洲能否維持繼續成為一個安定的社會, 取決於政府在作出這些回應時, 能否得到共識? 歷史顯示, 在社會出現困難時, 一些少數族裔, 常常被視為問題的根源, 而排擠這些族裔, 很多時被政客們視為爭取選民認同及選票, 提出是對這些問題的簡單答案。

在工黨上台差不多兩年期間, 我們沒有見到我們的領袖, 有甚麼具遠見的政策。相反, 我們見到原本是要表達支持婦女不應受暴力影響, 我們的總理卻展示出對婦女的漠視。我盼望工黨政府領袖, 要拿出領導才能, 展示出基本管治能力, 否則, 政府將失去國民的支持。

反對黨同樣也是失去與公眾就社會問題對話, 無法扮演監督及鞭策政府的角色。要是聯盟黨盼望在下一屆大選能有機會執政的話, 是時候他們要拿出一些行動, 讓選民對他們變得有信心。

不然的話, 上一屆出現的選民放棄主流政黨, 大批獨立候選人或細少黨派將成為澳洲政治的新元素。要是這情況真的出現的話, 澳洲的管治, 很有可能改變已往傳統, 進入一個不可測的改變。

華人移民很少認真關心澳洲社會的發展, 因為我們多只顧自己在個人、家庭、或是華人社區的發展, 而極少以宏觀角度, 來看自己的國民身份。

是時候我們要反思, 成為澳洲人, 就要以一個多元文化澳洲人來看這一個世界。是時候我們要更關心我們這一個社會了。

周偉文 社長

Time to pay attention to this society

The world has been in disarray over the past few years. As a multicultural nation, Australia is subject to pressure.

The Russia-Ukraine war, Israel-Hamas war, China-US trade war, China’s overcapacity, South China Sea’s military build-up, South Pacific’s flight on influence, Taiwan strait’s sovereignty tension… all these are imposing different viewpoints on world security and direction on many Chinese immigrants’ community and the mainstream society of Australia.

The Australian government responded in adjusting of national defence strategy, foreign affairs, immigration policy and social economic development. But when Australia makes such changes, consideration must be given to the intrinsic build-up of this nation and the stability of this multicultural society. These questions cannot be neglected.

Whether we can maintain a stable society under such circumstance depends on whether the government can respond with consensus. History tells that whenever a society is under hardship very often minor ethnical groups would become the scapegoat for causing the problems where politicians would exploit on them in their electorates by supplying simple answers.

Two years after the Labor Party gained power, we cannot see any of our leaders has led with great vision. On the contrary, our Prime Minister is showing his indifference to women in the recent call for attention on violence against women. I hope they can show their leadership and basic governing capability if they don’t want to lose their national support.

The opposition party is also losing their focus by failing their monitoring and driving roles. It is time for the Coalition to act and gain confidence from the public if they want to win back power.

Otherwise electorates will respond as in the last election that electors would abandon the mainstream parties thus giving way to the independent and minor parties. This could make a very unpredictable impact on the traditional Australian politics. 

Chinese immigrants seldom pay attention to the local Australian society because we are more concerned about ourselves, our families and the Chinese community, lacking a macro perspective on our own identity.

It is time for us to reflect, as we become Australians, on how we should see the world as a multicultural Australian. It is time for us to pay attention to this society.

Mr. Raymond Chow, Publisher