Editor’s Notes: Mr Jaime K Pimentel yesterday posted his commentary on the NSW Premier’s 2011 Filipino Community Awards. Today, a comment was posted by Mr Michael Vassili, Labor candidate for Riverstone, on Mr Pimentel’s commentary. To enable readers to post their comments on each post, we have re-posted below Vassili’s rejoinder as a separate page. // Romy Cayabyab
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I would like to respond to Mr Pimentel’s commentary on the NSW Premier’s Awards as follows:
As you are aware the Premier’s Awards are meant to provide recognition for not only individuals but communities. The Premier’s Filipino Community Awards, are just that – a valuable recognition which this government and its MPs have placed on the very rich, vibrant, and valuable Filipino Community.
It is an award which, as well as those provided for other valuable groups, was conducted not by the Premier but by the Community Relations Commission which has been at the forefront of the development of multi-culturalism in NSW under this Labor Government.
The Commission is not a political arm of government and its objectives are founded under legislation:
“The Community Relations Commission and Principles of Multiculturalism Act (2000) recognises and values the different linguistic, religious, racial and ethnic backgrounds of residents of NSW, and promotes equal rights and responsibilities for all residents of NSW.”
As the Liberal Party have a policy of “Practical Multiculturalism” which, for example promotes English as a First Language in Schools as opposed to English as a Second Language, I doubt in the anticipated cuts to front line services under an O’farel Liberal government whether the Commission will survive and whether such recognition and celebrations will continue.
I am very disappointed that some individuals purporting to be within the community have expressed some negativity around the awards. I have been sufficiently engaged with the Filipino community long enough and count many amongst my very good friends, as a Labor Candidate, I want to dispel the unfounded correspondence as divisive and politically motivated.
If there is some constructive criticism of how the people were chosen for such awards, then there is always room for improvement which the community would have full appreciation having for many years worked in improving many organisations within the Filipino community and seen many reformed, rebuilt and improved – that’s life we can always improve.
As to a commitment to the Filipino community – my record, and that of the government and retiring member for my seat, John Aquilina, is one of complete and tireless support and I am somewhat dissapointed that the correspondence would be so negative and condemning of our intentions of the Premier.
If any individual wants to discuss the matter personally I invite them to do so on 0404872229. If anyone receives the unfounded and baseless politically motivated material, then I would invite them to send by reply my response.
I and this government have worked too hard at a celebration of all that is good in various ethnic communities including the Filipino and my own Cyprus community (which also had awards) to let a cheap political negative campaign to undermine such good work and honest intention.
I have been involved in different communities, including my own, in the celebration of these awards and I could see nothing but praise for the recognition to the communities which they provided. If one individual instead of another did not receive an award, that’s the nature of awards and there will always be disagreement on the choice – however, it is no good reason to denigrate and besmearch the awards which recognise the Filipino community and to say so is misguided.
I hope that this assists.
Michael Vassili
Labor Candidate for Riverstone
Thanks Michael for enlightening interested parties. I can see that you acknowledge that the Filipino community in Australia is not only defined by either organisation leaders or vocal watchdogs/dingoes.
I have a few wishes for my fellow Filipinos, including myself – just might come true. I wish that we could altogether rejoice in another’s triumph, give room in our hearts for good intentions, respect differences, admit own mistakes and learn from our own and theirs, and perhaps treat each other as Aussies.
The recipient of the recognition must have done something good and given personal resources for the benefit of the community Congratulations! Well done. We need your inspiration.
By the way, who received the award?
We seem to have lost the plot here.
Michael, you are a sight for sore eyes, so to speak. What will Filos do without your words of wisdom. I am not aligned with any party at the moment but your commentary has hit the mark more or less. The regionalism amongst Filos will never create a united front. Someone will always be critical of something. In the Philippines, it’s the Chinese versus the Spanish, Capampangans vs Cavitenos, Ilocanos vs Visayans, Tagalogs vs everyone, Born Agains vs Catholics, etc etc etc. Many persons of goodwill attempted to appease and unite Filos in the past but only to fail. The Filos in the USA will attest to this. If any dominant Australian political party wishes to maximise the participation of the Filos, recognition has to be categorise it Filos’ regional affiliations. Eg. Community involvement – Ilocanos and Visayans; politics – Tagalogs, Capampangans and Ilocanos; Healthcare – Visayans; Engineers, Doctors and Lawyers – Tagalogs, Ilocanos. These are but examples that needs to be validated.
Michael, you have my deep gratitude for your straightforward opinion and honesty. More power to you!
Filipinos understand how politics works, too. Few of us are strangers to the realities of politics. What must be made clear here is the fact that the Community Relations Commission (CRC) is a body within the NSW Premier’s Department. And it has been the Philippine Community Council of NSW (PCCNSW) itself that has often touted itself as being the only umbrella organistion officially recognised by the Premier of NSW and the CRC. Further, the timing of the awards, so close of a State election when the Premier’s Government is polling badly, showed poor judgement. Either that or the organisers saw us as voters who could be blind-sided ~ or worse, fooled. It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to see that all these conditions do not add up to a credible awards exercise. Forget the sugar-coating from politicians about how they like to recognise achieving Filipino community members and other ethnic groups in NSW. Forget how we Filipinos like to debate against each other. First we must be honest and face the devil before we start making changes to who we are, not only as intelligent Filipinos but also as true Australians. Dissent is not so bad, especially in a democracy such as ours.
It is said “dissent is not so bad” and I am the first to be the promoter of dissent.
However, my dissent is aimed at a baseless criticism that the Premiers awards are some how inferred to be less than what they are.
This simply ignores 16 years of this Labor governments celebration of multi-culturalism and strong support for all ethnic communities including my own Greek Cypriot and in this context the Filipino community.
I respect that people have different political views coming to this election and generally, however, I will never accept as with any ounce of substance the continued position being put that the Premiers Awards are anything other than a very valuable recognition of the community.
If members of the community have a gripe with any peak organisation, it is not my gripe. It is not my role to intervene into the politics of organisations and individuals within the Filipino community. However, as a Labor Candidate and local advocate for and with the Filipino community (not for political reasons but because I count many Filipinos of my community as my friends)it is my duty to defend each and every distortion which appears that suggests that the Premiers Awards are anything other than a well intentioned, valuable recognition of the valuable role of not only individuals but communities within our state. I again state my view in the strongest terms that the criticism is ill founded. Nonetheless, we celebrate a freedom to dissent and I respect the right to express it. This is mine.
To dismiss my proposition outright without providing convincing detail about the methodology of the Premier’s Filipino Community Awards is a hallow rebuttal, I think.
And posturing about altruistic motivations of a political party is almost demeaning to intelligent voters. And please, do not pull the multiculturalism card on us. We were in the business of promoting multiculturalism way back in the mid-1970s when most of you were still in short pants. Together with Joe Doueihi (Lebanese), Peter Aroney (Greek), and Ernest Hulak (Ukranian) I published and edited the first publication in Australia, Ethnic NewsReview (originally EthnicNewsweek) to help migrants integrate seamlessly into the mainstream. Among my contributing columnists were Australian Labor Party stalwarts Lionel Bowen and Al Grassby. Yes, I do not need a lecture on the subject of multiculturalism.
It’s true that politics within the Filipino community is really not your business, Mr Vassili. And I am happy that you concede that. But in your courageous defence of the Premier’s Filipino Community Awards, you have yet to convince many of us that the way they were conceived, promoted, and conducted ~ especially their timing ~ was not a political blunder.
I am not “lecturing” you about multi-culturalism – nor do I need to be “trumped” on multiculturalism by you having edited and published any documents. No amount of your documents give you any better right than me, quite frankly, to speak with first hand authority of a Labor Candidate (whom you seek to comment as to motives) who was an active participant in the awards which you seek to denograte.
You see I am the “horses mouth” so to speak on this issue. You are a commentator. What I am saying is your assessment is factually wrong.
So there is no mistake my criticism of your comments are that you say that the awards are politically motivated and seek to treat the Filipino Community with some type of contempt. I am saying first hand you are wrong.
I accept that you will not accept you are wrong, factually. It was not the motive of these awards as I have been at some pains to explain to you. I take it you dont believe it anymore than I do not believe that you having published a paper and having Labor contributors gives you any better understanding, right or authority to speak on the motives of the awards.
As to the process, if there is constructive improvement for next time. When the Liberals win this State election, I suspect it will not be a bother for you as they will no doubt implement their policy of practical multiculturalism which, as you are somewhat of an expert, you would understand will not seek to celebrate the Filipino community or the diversity of any other.
Anyway, don’t want to waste any further time repeating what is a fundamental point.
As to timing of the awards or selection process , well perhaps that may be a valid point – we can always improve. Improving, however, is not to scrap the awards; scrap the Commission; or scrap multiculturalism which is what you have conveniently omitted in your haste to wrongly attribute motives to this government in the awards.
Take Care
Let’s see what the ‘’horse’s mouth’’ has told us so far: ‘’What I’m saying is that your assessment is factually wrong.’’ And then a few lines later: ‘As to timing of the awards or selection process, well perhaps that may be a valid point.’’
Well now. Sounds like a crack in Mr Vassili’s defence already.
He opened his last rebuttal by conceding he played a role in the awards process by calling himself ‘’the horse’s mouth’’, which may also account for his sounding terribly riled in this exchange.
Further, Mr Vassili’s silence about the connection between the NSW Premier, the Premier’s Department, and the Community Relations Commission of NSW ~ not that there’s anything wrong with that ~ may also be taken as a retraction of his claim that the CRC is not the political arm of the Premier. Indeed, the connection could possibly be misused politically.
So, what will Mr Vassili be conceding next?
As a candidate for a seat in the NSW Parliament, Mr Vassili should be reminded about the rough-and-tumble of debating in the Bear Pit. This email exchange is nothing compared to what he would be up against arguing in that hallowed ground of state politics.
Yes, I’ll ‘’take care’’. But I suggest you cool it, too.
Comment of Mr P is out of line. He needs to focus on the issue at hand. FOCUS. He is whingeing about the other Filo group not getting recognition in the Premiers award. I do not usually generalise, but this is a typical Filo characteristic – they want their trivial effort to be publicly recognised – that they are better than the other group (sic) when we know very well who and what they really are. Majority of Filos in the limelight are in dire need of acceptance and a good hand stroke to their ego. You want a valid opinion? – Do not ask the struggling Filos, ask the gainfully employed young and old Filos – and you can gain wisdom from them. You said you’ve been here since the 70′s. I am, too. Is it not disturbing to you that up to this time, you are being challenged and you get adversaries when you express your personal views on multiculturalism? It’s time to get real. I can critisise my fellow Filos because I am one of them, I am not the mongrel with an identity crisis. But for you – you sound like a Filo, act like a Filo, but do not look like one. For one thing, history should teach you that Greeks and Cypriots have long been writing poetry at the time when inhabitants in the Philippines were still climbing trees! You are right – we should not compare – because there is no comparison.
Eto na naman si ”Allan of Nth Shore” daw. Sabi ng imbistigasiyon ng CIA, ayon sa mga kapit-bahay ni Totoy sa likuran ng Riverstone ay may katok daw sa ulo, kaya pasiyensiya na lamang kayo. Siyanga pala, hindi daw ”Allan” ang tunay na pangalan niya kundi ”Totoy”. At hindi daw sa North Shore nakatira kundi sa isang garahe sa Western Suburbs.
Ayon sa imbistigasiyon ng CIA, eto daw si Totoy ay dating tuta ni Marcos, at ngayon daw ay tuta naman ng isang pulitiko sa western suburbs. At kaya ayaw daw ni Totoy ipahayag ang tunay niyang pangalan ay dahil sa TNT daw ito.
At ayaw daw ipakita ang kanyang larawan sa Internet dahil sa medyo ”mongrel” na Mongol-Saudi-Eskimo ang mukha.
Bayaan na lang natin si Totoy na mag-buga sa Internet, at huwag na lamang pansinin at sagutin. Sayang ang oras.