Season 2 Episode 3: William Liu - The pathfinder who fought for Chinese rights
Images: State Library of NSW
William Liu was a tireless campaigner for the rights of other Chinese Australians to live and settle peacefully in this country.
Earlier in his life, he had been instrumental in exporting Australia’s department store model to China and Hong Kong. William fervently believed that economic ties between the two countries was the key to a strong relationship.
Image: City of Sydney Archives
He was often a lone voice in his fight, but he eventually saw success with the normalisation of relations between China and Australia in 1972. More importantly, the Racial Discrimination Act of 1975 officially ended the White Australia Policy. In 1983, William was appointed to the Order of the British Empire.
He was a true Australian pathfinder, bringing hope and security to hundreds of Chinese Australians. He died in 1983 on Anzac Day.
References
Bagnall, K. (2008). A journey of love: Agnes Breuer’s sojourn in 1930s China. In K. Bagnall, Transnational ties : Australian lives in the world (pp. 115-134). Canberra: ANU E Press. Retrieved from http://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/p20951/html/ch07s08.html
Barme, G. (n.d.). The George E. Morrison Lectures in Ethnology. Retrieved from China Institute: http://chinainstitute.anu.edu.au/events/morrison-lectures
Fitzgerald, S. (2008). Chinese. Retrieved from Dictionary of Sydney: https://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/chinese
Greene, C. (2005). Fantastic Dreams: William Liu, and the origins and influence of protest against the White Australia Policy in the 20th century. University of Sydney, Department of History. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/dd32/d64ba69452b6de4ed5f8e690a135bc5df841.pdf
Hack, P. (2017). The art deco department stores of Shanghai : the Chinese - Australian connection. Edgecliff, NSW: Impact Press.
Hack, P. (2018). Miss Barbara West : A Lifelong Friend and Mentor. Retrieved from https://peterhack.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Miss-Barbara-West.pdf
Liu, W. (1938). Letter from William Liu on Wing Sang & Co. letterhead, 1938.
Liu, William Joseph Lum - Biographical entry. (n.d.). Retrieved from Chinese-Australian Historical Images in Australia: http://www.chia.chinesemuseum.com.au/biogs/CH01532b.htm
Loy-Wilson, S. (2016). Shanghai's lost history of Chinese-Australians. Retrieved from The University of Sydney: https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2016/09/23/shanghai-s-lost-history-of-chinese-australians.html
McGowan, B. (2012). William Joseph Liu. Retrieved from Australian Dictionary of Biography: http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/liu-william-joseph-14161
Sima, W. (2014). William Liu, Douglas Copland and the George E Morrison Lectures at the ANU. Retrieved from The China Story: https://www.thechinastory.org/2014/12/william-liu-douglas-copland-and-the-george-e-morrison-lectures-at-anu/
Sima, W. (2015). Far Eastern History: 1948 - 1954. In W. Sima, China and ANU: Diplomats, adventurers, scholars. Acton, ACT: The Australian National University. Retrieved from http://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/p332713/html/ch04.xhtml?referer=&page=13