COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Karla Orellana
President
Karla is a Clinical Nurse originally fro Guatemala and the previous Branch and National Secretary of the ACFS. She came to Australia as a political refugees with the aid of the United Nations Human Rights Commission. Karla plays leading roles in the union movement, the women’s movement and organisations working for justice and peace in Australia, Latin America and the rest of the world.
DR PING LU
Secretary
Ping serves as the Secretary for both the ACFS Queensland Branch and the National body. A former CSIRO Senior Research Scientist and Chair of the ISHS Mango Working Group, he holds Adjunct Professorships at several Australian universities and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Ping has spent decades facilitating global scientific exchanges and volunteering for poverty alleviation and ecological rehabilitation programs in China's remote regions. He also served on the Darwin Sister Cities Committee for two decades.
LILY ZHONG
Treasurer
Lily has been a member of the ACFS for more than 20 years and was one of the founders and the Public Officer of the Chinese Community of Northern Australia. She was also the International student and exchange program coordinator at Darwin High School for 27 years. Lily has organized, led, and hosted many exchange programs for students and teachers, in China and Australia. She also organized and led several youth groups to summer and winter camps in China. She was a committee member of the Darwin Sister Cities Program.
HELEN LIU
Vice President
Helen runs multiple events for the Chinese community in Brisbane, and is also the President of the Multicultural Universal English Society of Queensland.
DONALD WILSON
Vice President
Don is a life member who joined the ACFS in 1971 when campaigning for diplomatic relations between Australia and China. He was involved in the creation of the National body as a Limited Corporation to allow interstate and overseas business and protect members.
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PETER ZHUANG
Vice President
Peter Zhuang is the director of Bristar Group, president of Sunnybank Chamber of Commerce, honorary president of Australia Queensland Shandong Association, and the charter president of the Rotary Club of Sunnybank. He organizes local events to build an understanding between the Chinese community and other local communities. He is passionate about developing a healthy relationship between Australia and China.
PROFESSOR COLIN MACKERRAS 马克林
Patron
Colin is a specialist on Chinese history, musical theatre and ethnic minorities, as well as Australia-China relations and Western images of China, and has published widely on all those subjects. He has written or edited over 40 books and authored nearly 200 scholarly papers about China. He is renowned internationally as a well-regarded Sinologist.
DR ROSS GWYTHER
Committee Member
Ross is a life member who has previously been the President of the National body, as well as the President of the Queensland branch. Ross has organised and participated in a range of events to promote friendship with China, including exchanges and conferences.
SIM HAYWARD
Committee member
Sim Hayward is a business woman based in Cairns. Formerly from Malaysia of Chinese descent, she came to Australia in 1972 and has visited China on various occasions, participating in Government and Trade delegations, organising familiarisation visits for business people, and led exchanges to Chinese Universities. She was a member and Honorary Chair of the Queensland China Council. Sim is the Ambassador for Cairns Sister Cities, one of which is Zhanjiang in Guangdong Province in PRC.
SIMON TANG
Committee Member
Simon is involved in the operations of Chinese-Australian businesses and organisations including Kenon Corporation Pty Ltd, Luckyland Products Pty Ltd, Australia Queensland Fujian Asso., Chinese Business United Association.
DAVID MATTERS
Committee Member
David has travelled to China for friendship visits including those with the Trade Unions of Brisbane and Shanghai. David is a member of the World Association of Political Economy and has worked with that organisation in promoting a better understanding of China.
GUY BREHON
Committee member
Guy is a life member who has been a member of the Society for 47 years. During this time, he has been the Society’s newsletter editor, treasurer, and President. He was born in France in 1939 and came to Australia in January 1963 at the invitation of his Australian relatives, and joined the Society.
Oscar Orellana
Committee Member