Jenny Leong Pays Tribute to Dr Anthony Pun in Parliament

Jenny Leong Pays Tribute to Dr Anthony Pun in Parliament, on 01 June 2023:

HANSARD EXTRACT:

Ms JENNY LEONG (Newtown) (16:39): I acknowledge the passing of Dr Anthony Pun, the founding president of the Chinese Community Council of Australia and a founding member of the Chinese Australian Forum, and express my deepest sympathies to his family and friends for their loss. During his lifetime Dr Pun served as the president of the Australian Chinese Community Association of NSW and chair of the Ethnic Communities' Council of NSW. A three‑time recipient of the Premier's award for community service, last year Dr Pun received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in medicine, services to the Australian‑Chinese community and dedication to multiculturalism. Since his passing many have written about Tony's involvement in the promotion of Australia‑China relations since the early 1980s, particularly his powerful contribution in 1989, when he advocated to Prime Minister Hawke to allow Chinese students to remain in Australia following the Tiananmen Square massacre. Tony remained a vocal advocate in his later years, continuing to stand up for Chinese Australians subjected to racism. On 29 May many gathered at Dr Pun's funeral in a show of respect and appreciation for his contribution and the influence he had on them and our society.