On the evening of April 22, 2025, the "Green Future: Chinese Community Meet & Greet," initiated by Sturt electorate’s independent candidate Dr Verity Cooper, was warmly held at Fullarton Park Community Centre.
2025年4月22日晚，由斯特选区无党派独立候选人Dr Verity Cooper库珀医生发起的“绿色未来·华裔社区见面会”在Fullarton Park Community Centre温暖举行。
The event was brilliantly organised by Ms Say Kapsis from Asian Australians for Climate Action, who brought people together for a relaxed and thoughtful evening with Verity to talk about politics, community, and the importance of getting involved.
We were thrilled to see such a great mix of people there: families with young children, local business owners, and community members who were simply curious about what it means to support a Community Independent candidate and why change matters.
One of the highlights of the evening was a lively discussion about how preferential voting works—beautifully translated by Alfred Huang, former Lord Mayor of Adelaide, who helped make tricky topics easy to understand.
It was a fantastic night, and we’re so grateful to everyone who came along or helped out.
A big thank you to the amazing volunteers who made it all happen—Yi Fang and his fiancée Emma, along with our own Sarah and Sally —who helped set up, welcome guests, and keep everything running smoothly. Dinner and drinks were provided, and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming.
We’re looking forward to more conversations and stronger connections with the Chinese community in the months ahead! Please find below a recap of the evening by Yi Fang.
Event Recap
April 22nd Chinese Community Meet & Greet – Connecting with Dr Verity Cooper
On the evening of April 22, 2025, the "Green Future: Chinese Community Meet & Greet," initiated by Sturt electorate’s independent candidate Dr Verity Cooper, was warmly held at Fullarton Park Community Centre. Chinese families from across Adelaide gathered enthusiastically, creating a vibrant and sincere atmosphere that showcased the community’s strong concern for Australia's future and their active civic engagement.
Open and Transparent Communication: From Electoral System to Clarifying Rumours
To help first-time federal election voters in the Chinese community better understand Australia's voting system, Dr Verity Cooper personally demonstrated the preferential voting system using a cup and orange juice. Through this simple and intuitive example, attendees quickly grasped how to correctly rank their preferences on the ballot to ensure their choices are fully reflected during the counting process.
It is worth noting that one of the original MCs assigned to assist with translation was unfortunately unable to continue due to a sore throat. At this critical moment, former Lord Mayor of Adelaide City Council, Mr Alfred Huang, generously stepped forward to assist with live translation. With fluent and clear Chinese, he accurately conveyed Dr Verity Cooper’s explanation of the federal electoral system to the audience, ensuring the clarity of the information and greatly strengthening the connection between Dr Verity Cooper and the Chinese community. Many attendees expressed that they were deeply touched by this thoughtful support.
In addition, addressing recent rumours circulating on Xiaohongshu and other Chinese media platforms suggesting that Climate 200’s financial support "controls" independent candidates, Dr Verity Cooper issued a firm clarification.
She clearly stated that accepting support from Climate 200 is based on shared values around climate action, political integrity, and policy transparency, and that candidates retain full independence in their policy decisions and parliamentary votes.
Dr Verity Cooper emphasised that as a truly independent candidate, she is accountable only to the residents of Sturt, and not to any political party or organisation.
This honest and direct clarification was warmly received by the audience and helped dispel concerns and misunderstandings among many Chinese attendees.
Engaged Interaction: Every Question Was Heard
During the open Q&A session that followed, attendees eagerly raised questions about issues such as the cost of living crisis, healthcare system reforms, housing affordability, immigration policies, education equity, and climate change.
Drawing on her extensive experience in medicine, public policy, and environmental advocacy, Dr Verity Cooper patiently and thoroughly responded to each question. She explained in a professional yet approachable manner how she plans to advocate for practical changes in Parliament that directly benefit ordinary families.
Particularly on the issue of the rising cost of living, Dr Verity Cooper shared detailed policy proposals, including promoting renewable energy, supporting rooftop solar panel installations, and combating corporate profiteering, which resonated strongly with many young families present.
When answering questions about immigration policy, she reaffirmed her commitment to respecting multiculturalism and protecting the rights of immigrant families, stressing the importance of avoiding unfair scapegoating of immigrant communities during times of social strain.
Warm Moments: Lucky Draw and Special Thanks to Soonta for Sponsoring Special Drinks
To show appreciation for the community’s support, the event featured a lucky draw. Three lucky guests won beautiful prizes, and the cheerful atmosphere reached a lively high point during the draw.
During dinner, attendees continued to enjoy relaxed and vibrant conversations. A special thanks goes to renowned South Australian restaurant brand Soonta for generously sponsoring refreshing peach tea beverages, which brought a touch of sweetness and refreshment to the evening. Guests enjoyed delicious food while engaging in deeper discussions on Australian society, economics, education, and environmental issues.
Event Conclusion: Listening is the Start of Connection; Participation is the Power of Change
This Chinese community meet and greet on April 22 was not just a policy information session — it was a precious opportunity for genuine listening, open dialogue, and building deeper understanding and trust.
Here, every Chinese attendee’s voice was heard, every question was addressed with patience, and every concern and hope was treated with respect and sincerity.
In her closing remarks, Dr Verity Cooper said,
"No matter the outcome of the election, I will continue listening to your voices and striving to build a healthier, fairer, and more sustainable future."
As the federal election approaches, let us use our votes to support candidates who truly care about our health and the future of our next generations. Let us take action to prove that the power of every ordinary individual can together become a force strong enough to change the world.
As members of Australia’s Chinese community, let us treasure the value of every vote — to light up hope for our children and for our shared home.
活动回顾
4月22日华裔社区见面会圆满举办 —— 与Dr Verity Cooper库珀医生共话未来
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2025年4月22日晚，由斯特选区无党派独立候选人Dr Verity Cooper库珀医生发起的“绿色未来·华裔社区见面会”在Fullarton Park Community Centre温暖举行。来自阿德莱德各地的华人家庭纷纷到场，现场气氛热烈而真挚，展现了华人社区对澳洲未来发展的深切关心与积极参与。
真实透明的交流：从选举制度到谣言澄清
为了让首次参与联邦选举的华人朋友们更好理解澳大利亚的投票机制，Dr Verity Cooper库珀医生现场亲自示范，利用一个杯子和橙汁，形象地讲解了 “优先投票制度”（Preferential Voting）的运作方式。她通过简单直观的例子，让大家清楚了解了如何在选票上正确排序，确保自己的意愿在计票过程中最大限度地被体现。
值得一提的是，活动当天原本担任翻译的司仪之一因嗓子不适未能继续完成工作。在这一关键时刻，前阿德莱德市议会议长、Alfred Huang先生 挺身而出，热心协助担任现场的即席翻译。他用流畅清晰的中文，将Dr Verity Cooper库珀医生关于联邦选举制度的重要讲解准确传达给了在场来宾，确保了信息的准确无误，也大大拉近了Dr Verity Cooper库珀医生与华人社区之间的沟通距离。来宾们纷纷表示，这一细节让他们深受感动。
此外，针对近期在小红书和部分华文媒体平台上流传的关于Climate 200资助独立候选人“操控政策”的谣言，Dr Verity Cooper库珀医生也在活动中做出了郑重澄清。她明确指出：接受Climate 200的资助，是因为在推动气候行动、改善政治诚信、促进政策透明方面有共同理念，但在政策主张与投票决定上，候选人始终保持独立性，绝不会受任何资金来源的操控。Dr Verity Cooper库珀医生强调，作为一名真正独立无党派的候选人，她只对Sturt社区的居民负责，而非任何政党或机构。
这一真诚直接的澄清，赢得了现场来宾的热烈掌声，也消除了部分华人朋友们的疑虑与误解。
热烈互动：每一个问题都被认真倾听
随后的自由提问环节中，来宾们围绕生活成本危机、医疗系统改革、住房可负担性、移民政策、教育公平、气候变化应对等主题踊跃发问。
Dr Verity Cooper库珀医生以自己在医学、公共政策、气候领域的丰富经验，耐心细致地回应了每一个问题，用专业且平易近人的方式解释了她将如何在联邦议会中，为普通家庭争取实际改变。
特别是在讨论生活成本时，Dr Verity Cooper库珀医生分享了她支持可再生能源发展、鼓励屋顶太阳能安装补贴、打击大公司不合理牟利行为的具体政策，赢得了在场不少年轻家庭的共鸣。
在回答关于移民政策的问题时，她也特别提到，将始终倡导尊重多元文化、保护移民家庭权益，避免让移民群体在社会矛盾中被不公正指责。
温馨时刻：幸运抽奖与感谢Soonta赞助桃子饮料
为了感谢来宾们的热情参与，活动特别设置了幸运抽奖环节。现场共有三位幸运来宾获得了精美礼品，抽奖瞬间欢笑声不断，将活动氛围推向了小高潮。
晚餐时间，大家在轻松愉快的氛围中继续自由交流。值得特别感谢的是，知名南澳餐饮连锁店品牌Soonta慷慨赞助了清新可口的桃子茶饮品，为大家带来了一份甜蜜与清凉。来宾们一边品尝美食，一边围绕澳大利亚的社会、经济、教育、环保等话题展开了更加深入的讨论。
活动总结：倾听，是连接的开始；参与，是改变的力量
本次4月22日的华裔社区见面会，不仅是一场政策解读会，更是一次彼此倾听、坦诚交流、增进理解与信任的珍贵机会。
在这里，每一位华人朋友的声音都被认真聆听，每一个问题都得到了耐心回应，每一份关心与期待，都得到了尊重与承诺。
Dr Verity Cooper 库珀医生在总结发言中表示：“未来无论选举结果如何，我都会继续倾听你们的声音，为建设一个更健康、更公平、更可持续的未来而努力。”
在即将到来的联邦大选中，让我们用自己的选票，去支持那些真正关心我们健康、关心下一代未来的候选人；让我们用行动证明，每一个平凡个体的力量，都可以汇聚成改变世界的洪流。
作为澳洲的华人，我们应该珍惜我们手中每一票，为孩子们的未来，为我们的共同家园，点亮希望之光。