A Chinese philosopher, Lao Tse, once said, 千里之行,始于足下 which translates to, “The journey of a thousand miles must start with the first step.” As the first Chinese-born parliamentarian in Australia, I was filled with humility and pride. I was born in Hong Kong and Chinese was my first language. I traveled to Australia in 1961 as an overseas student attracted by the notion of “Fair Go,” that everyone has a fair opportunity to succeed.

I originally trained as a medical social worker back in the ’70s. I got married, had two children, then divorced. Being a single mother with a low-paying job was what really motivated me to take up a law degree at the University o Macquarie in Australia. Sometimes setbacks in life are just the motivation you need.
While studying law, I interned with the Attorney General, who asked if I would be interested in becoming a member of parliament after graduation. I said YES! I began my political career in 1985 as a Commissioner of the New South Wales Ethnic Affairs Commission. In 1988 I was elected the first Chinese-born Australian MP. I served four terms in the Parliament of New South Wales and two terms as Vice President of the Legislative Council. I also co-founded the NSW Parliament Asia-Pacific Friendship Group in 1999 and was awarded the Order of Australia (OAM) by the Australian Federal Government in 2011. I helped many Australians, including policymakers, understand Chinese culture and also explained Australian values to the Chinese community, particularly to new immigrants.
Being a woman and being in politics is tough! The challenge for women in politics is that you must be as good as a man. You need to be assertive, almost aggressive because you must fight to talk! I can talk for hours—this is a mandatory skill in politics. You need to make up speeches out of thin air. I once did a filibuster for a Greek Orthodox Church asking for help protecting their properties. I don't know anything about Greek Orthodox Churches but I do know a lot about Buddhism, temples, and being a Catholic! So I talked and talked and talked about all the things I know, and made them relevant to the Greek Orthodox Church and effectively won!
Being Chinese is also a huge barrier, but being a Chinese woman is even worse. I call that a double-whammy as you need to break the glass ceiling and the Asian ceiling.
My advice to the younger generation of women who want to take on leadership roles: (1) Believe in yourself. Have confidence in your abilities and believe you deserve to be where you want to be; (2) Invest in your education and continuously develop your skills; and (3) Don’t be afraid to speak out! Advocate for yourself. This communicates that you understand your own worth and what you bring to the table. You are a valuable asset. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
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