william ah ket

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William specialised in civil cases, including lawsuits over divorce petitions, wills and contracts. He was a sound lawyer and a good advocate". In a High Court case called Ingham v Hie Lee,11 Ah Ket represented a Chinese laundry owner who was charged with an offence under the Factories and Shops Act 1905 in Victoria. Sir Robert Menzies wrote that he and Mr Ah Ket "were great friends". "William Ah Ket is in his teens at this time and he's being brought up to be a smart, educated young man, so he would've seen all this going on.". and their only son, John Williams, has been acclaimed as one Over time the costs of maintaining this website have risen substantially (in fact they are probably larger than those of many companies who exist for profit). View William Webb's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. such a reputation for his canny tactics as a cross-examiner. His father had taken him to China when he was about five years old. William Ah Ket (, 20 June 1876 6 August 1936) was a noted Australian barrister. As the first #ChineseAustralian to join the Victorian Bar, William was born. [4], Despite, or perhaps because of, having himself been discriminated against, Mr Ah Ket devoted his life to fighting against unfair discrimination. Th my scam n ni ng r xc phm g cu. The biography of Joan Rosanove QC, an alumna of Melbourne Law School and the first Jewish woman in Australia to be admitted as a barrister, contains the following reference to a light-hearted discussion between William and Joan: A Melbourne barrister, Mr Ah Ket, a friend of Marks [Joans father], said to her, You and I have both chosen the wrong profession, Joan. In 1921, William and Gertrude William was particularly active in the fight against racial discrimination. The views and She said there were maids at the family home, where her parents often hosted glamorous mah-jong and poker parties for their friends. Williamhad 3 siblings: Toylaan Margaret ALLEN (born AH-KET)and 2 other siblings. Guidelines for the Lectureship had been initially proposed "That's why his story's so important to us.". His father had 10William Ah Ket Scholarship 2019, Program (9 October 2019). William had 4 sisters: Alberta Young (born Ah Ket) and 3 other siblings. He was also co-founder and The younger son and friendship between the West and the East led him to accept [11] See Toylaan Ah Ket, William Ah Ket - Building Bridges between Occident and Orient in Australia, 1900-1936 (paper delivered at the Conference of the Chinese Studies Association in Australia held at Macquarie University on 5 July 1995), available at https://arrow.latrobe.edu.au/store/3/4/5/5/1/public/stories/wahket.htm. in 1982 and is currently writing the biography of her father. Defying what was expected of Chinese-Australians at the turn of the twentieth century, he studied law and progressed to appear before the High Court of Australia. Andrew Godwin is researching the life and times of William Ah Ket and is working with the descendants of the Ah Ket family for this purpose. Celebrating Asian Australian Lawyers: From William Ah Ket to Today, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/ah-ket-william-4979, https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54dd81c6e4b074b4a339bb2e/t/, https://arrow.latrobe.edu.au/store/3/4/5/5/1/public/stories/wahket.htm, https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/145813/2/Morrison%20Oration%2002.pdf. Neither of us will ever be made a judge, you because you are a woman. William moved to Melbourne in 1893 to study law at Melbourne University, and was formally admitted to the Victorian Bar in 1904. He joined the ranks of barristers the following year, and is widely understood to have become the first Australian lawyer of Chinese descent to practise as a barrister at the independent bar in the state of Victoria. the efforts of William Ah Ket in Melbourne and William J. Asian Australians have played a vital role in the legal profession since the late 1800s, starting with the first barrister of Chinese origin to join the independent bar in Victoria, William Ah Ket. He added, "A certain prejudice among clients against having a Chinese barrister to an extent limited his practice, though instructing solicitors thought very well of him". In addition to lobbying against discriminatory legislation, such as the Immigration Restriction Bill of 1901, William appeared in many cases that we would describe today as public interest cases. Morrison Lecture was given in 1932 by 15William Ah Ket, Eastern Thought, with special reference to Confucius (Second Morrison Lecture, 3 May 1933), available athttps://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/145813/2/Morrison%20Oration%2002.pdf. 7Citing Sir Robert Menzies,The Measure of the Years (Cassell Australia, 1970) at 249. . It is fitting and proper that this scholarship is named for him.9, In the program notes, the recipient of the 2019 William Ah Ket Scholarship, Ms Tienyi Long, Legal and Governance Officer at Glen Eira City Council, Victoria writes that [l]awyers, courts and legislators continue to grapple with the question of how equal justice can be achieved for diverse communities in a multifaceted and increasingly complex societydiversity intelligence is an essential skill to facilitate equal access to justice for diverse communitiesit should be included as part of mandatory continuing professional development requirements under the Legal Profession Uniform Law.10. 6Citing Karin Derkley, William Ah Ket Legacy Recognised (2018) 92(3) Law Institute Journal 83 at 83, 84. In addition to lobbying against discriminatory legislation, such as the Immigration Restriction Bill of 1901, William appeared in many cases that we would describe today as public interest cases. 10William Ah Ket Scholarship 2019, Program (9 October 2019). While there he won a prize of 40 pounds from the Supreme Court in 1902. He was born on 20 June 1876 at Wangaratta, Victoria, the only son and fifth child of Mah Ket and Hing Ung. After living in China for many years, he returned to Australia as an adult but was treated as a prohibited immigrant because he failed a dictation test imposed by the immigration legislation at the time. [7] William Ah Ket Scholarship 2019, Program (9 October 2019). William stayed involved with the University and was elected the President of the Law Students Society on 19 April 1907.4 Some 20 years later, in 1929, William supported a toast in favour of Sir Harrison Moore, the third Dean of Melbourne Law School, at a dinner hosted by the Law Students Society to mark Sir Harrisons retirement in 1927. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the In addition to lobbying against discriminatory legislation, such as the Immigration Restriction Bill of 1901, William appeared in many cases that we would describe today as public interest cases. In a passage that is still recognised as current law in Australia, Justice OConnor stated as follow: It isimprobable that the legislature would overthrow fundamental principles, infringe rights, or depart from the general system of law, without expressing its intention with irresistible clearness13. His witticisms were aimed less to disarm the witness than The International Who's Who: 1984/85, 2004, "William Ah Ket - Building Bridges between Occident and Orient in Australia, 1900-1936*", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_Ah_Ket&oldid=1136723876, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 31 January 2023, at 20:35. He said that "William Ah Ket did not ever sit on the Bench, though he would have been a very competent judge. Ah Kets legal team successfully proved that the Chinese man was not an employee of the laundry but instead a boarder at the laundry who had simply been ironing his own shirt! So begins the biography of William Ah Ket [] in the Australian Dictionary of Biography. After reading with (Sir) Stewart McArthur, This article originally appeared on the Melbourne Law School website on May 20, 2020. William was born in 1876, in the north-east Victorian town of Wangaratta one of eight children. Fast forward 90 years to 9 October 2019 when an audience of some 50 persons are gathered in the Great Hall of the High Court of Australia to attend the third award ceremony for the William Ah Ket Scholarship a scholarship established by the Asian Australian Lawyers Association in 2017 and supported by Maddocks. of the Supreme Court and knights of the realm. Ah Kets legal team successfully proved that the Chinese man was not an employee of the laundry but instead a boarder at the laundry and that he had simply been ironing his own shirt! On 16 November 1912 he married Gertrude Victoria Bullock at the Kew Methodist Church. He was a sound lawyer and a good advocate". to Australia, William Ah Ket was appointed as Acting Consul-General With paternal ancestry from Taishan, southern China, Ah Ket was Australia's first barrister of Asian heritage or ethnicity. Parliament for the new Republic in 1912. William Ah Ket was educated at Wangaratta High School and was also taught at home by a Chinese tutor. The story of William Ah Ket is a significant one in the history of the Australian legal profession. Australia's first Chinese barrister William Ah Ket was born in the Victorian country town of Wangaratta. Victoria 3086 His father, Ma Ket [], had arrived in Victoria in 1855 to work as a community leader for the Chinese workers in the goldfields of Victoria. "There was definitely a fresh wave of discrimination that was being put in place," she says. In its decision, the High Court found that if the immigration legislation had intended to remove the rights of citizenship, it should have expressed its intention clearly. By Andrew GodwinAssociate Director (Asian Commercial Law), Asian Law Centre, Melbourne Law School. Asian Studies Program such as the Dictation Test and Limitation of Residence. 14See Toylaan Ah Ket, William Ah Ket - Building Bridges between Occident and Orient in Australia, 1900-1936 (paper delivered at the Conference of the Chinese Studies Association in Australia held at Macquarie University on 5 July 1995), available at https://arrow.latrobe.edu.au/store/3/4/5/5/1/public/stories/wahket.htm. Father and son worked as court interpreters in their spare time. 4The Melbourne University Magazine, Volume 1, Number 1, 1907, 20. His mother, Hing Ung, had bound feet and spoke no English. During his career Ah Ket battled the harsh effects of the White Australia Policy in 1908. I because I am Chinese. Life. We should have done Medicine.[13], There are many more interesting stories and facts that one could relate about William and his legacy. ways of thinking, with particular reference to Confucius'. Church to a young Australian woman, Gertrude Bullock, whose William Ah Ket in Selborne Chambers, Melbourne circa 1933.Source: http://monumentaustralia.org.au/. Make a life-giving gesture Andrew and MLS would be delighted if any readers have information about William that they would like to share. practice in Selbourne Chambers alongside such famous neighbours Cheong 9The Hon Susan Kiefel AC, Chief Justice of Australia, William Ah Kets contribution to diversity in the legal profession (Asian Australian Lawyers Association, William Ah Ket Scholarship Presentation, Great Hall, High Court of Australia, Canberra, 9 October 2019, 5:30pm). Ah Ket was born in Wangaratta in 1876 and died in 1936. . of Australia and the people of China - albeit at the academic This as Arthur Deane, R.G. as one of Melbourne's most talented and adroit barristers. He advocated and promoted peaceful coexistence.8 His answer to the difficulties he faced appears to have been to succeed in what he did; to be a real part of the legal profession; to help others and to act at all times righteously, with courage and with kindness. He died on 6 August 1936 of arteriosclerosis and renal failure at Malvern, Victoria. Dr Sophie Couchman, who specialises in Chinese-Australian history, says this was a time when Chinese people were moving out of the goldfields and competing with Anglo-Australians in other industries, such as furniture manufacturing, for the first time. [10] (1908) 7 CLR 277 at 307. Ah Ket appeared in another High Court case called Potter v Minahan,[9] where he represented a man born in Australia of a Chinese father and a white Australian mother. "He probably would've seen people that were junior to him progress past him in that career and of course that would've been disappointing to see that, and not be afforded the same opportunities as everyone else," he says. to win the reluctant approval of the bench with his propensity William was previously mentioned in an article discussing Chinese legal pioneers (see China Business Law Journal volume 11, issue 1: Chinese legal pioneers). Please contact us. or a night of comedy at the Tivoli with Stiffy & Mo. "But when it came to law, he knew very well what it was like to struggle and be poor and oppressed, so his sympathies were always on the side of the underdog.". He became the leading Chinese in the district and a respected member of the Wangaratta community.. schools. [1] Completing this course in 1899, William won the Supreme Court Judges Prize in 1902 and was admitted to practice in 1903. It is fitting and proper that this scholarship is named for him.[6], The recipient of the Scholarship, Tienyi Long, notes that [l]awyers, courts and legislators continue to grapple with the question of how equal justice can be achieved for diverse communities in a multifaceted and increasingly complex society diversity intelligence is an essential skill to facilitate equal access to justice for diverse communities it should be included as part of mandatory continuing professional development requirements under the Legal Profession Uniform Law.[7]. Your help would be greatly appreciated. In a special series, RN examines Australia's relationship to China, and its rising prominence in global affairs. 1901. My father, William Ah Ket rose to prominence in the 1900s-1930s First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we In the 1900s William Ah Ket along with other leaders of the Fulfilling his fathers wishes, William studied law at the University of Melbourne. That includes our servers. of the George Ernest Morrison Memorial Lectureship in Ethnology The first barrister of Chinese descent practising at the Victorian Bar was William Ah Ket. One case he was involved in successfully challenged the Immigration Restriction Act better known as the White Australia policy in 1908. to an end the legal career of a truly remarkable Chinese gentleman I because I am Chinese. Andrew Godwin is researching the life and times of William Ah Ket and is working with the descendants of the Ah Ket family for this purpose. He was an alumnus of the University of Melbourne. In addition, the gallery is currently hosting an exhibition of memorabilia about him. "He played the game of affluence and gambling and carding and living it up," she recalled. After the formalities conclude, enthusiastic discussion ensues among the guests about William and his legacy and includes a combination of questions and observations: How is it that William Ah Ket is not more widely known?; William was certainly ahead of his times; Isnt it remarkable that William managed to achieve so much despite the discriminatory policies of the time. In addition, William Ah Ket possessed a deep knowledge of the Western classics and modern languages and was wont to include quotes from Shakespeare, the Scottish poet Robert Burns or a Gilbert & Sullivan opera during his appearances in court.[14]. recital, a Gilbert & Sullivan production, a Franz Lehar Williams focus on reconciliation is reflected in the Second Morrison Lecture that he delivered in 1933, where he discussed whether there was a real difference between the culture of the East and that of the West, and drew parallels between Western culture and Confucianism. Historians say Mah Ket encouraged his son to study law to help the Chinese community, which was facing discriminatory laws at the end of the 19th century. The dictation test required all immigrants from China to write in English a passage of not less than 50 words that was dictated by a customs officer. Popular among the press reporters and cartoonists of his The story of William Ah Ket, the first Chinese-Australian barrister. Dear Monument Australia visitors, we are a self-funded, non-profit organisation, dedicated to recording monuments throughout Australia. He fought against the requirements of the 1907 Factories (Employment of Chinese) Act, which discriminated against . Mr Tang says it shows that, despite his talents, he suffered from a level of discrimination. Sir Robert Menzies wrote that he and Mr Ah Ket "were great friends". of his time who could mix with ease, and enjoy widespread Jamieson in 1903. live, learn and work. In 191314 and 1917, he acted as Consul-General for China in Melbourne.[1][5]. Even though the laws he fought against no longer exist, she says Australia continues to treat new migrant groups with suspicion. "But we're living in days of the incarceration of refugees and asylum seekers. of the AIF in World War II and was killed during the Allied . the Consul-General for China, Dr. W.P. a keen if not always successful punter. His father had taken him to China when he was about five years old. William was born in the Victorian country town of Wangaratta in 1876, the son of Mah Ket, who arrived from Canton during the gold rush, and his wife Hing Ung. Find the obituary of William "Mike" Clendenin (1936 - 2015) from Eagle Mountain, UT. William Ah Ket fought social prejudice in and out of court. of growing up in a traditional Chinese household where his Occasionally their Victoria, and the increasing protests of influential clergymen We will never satisfy our ambitions. Their father said "the boys were teasing her and boys tend to do that". in Australia ended, he settled in Wangaratta to raise his Please send any press releases, deal announcements, details of new hires, newsletters and any other news items to: Copyright 2022 Vantage Asia Publishing Limited. Associate Professor Andrew Godwin is researching the life and times of MLS alum William Ah Ket and is working with the descendants of the Ah Ket family for this purpose. La Trobe University He was a leading activist in the campaigns for equal rights for Chinese-Australians at a time when anti-Chinese sentiment ran deep. William was well regarded as a barrister. We will never satisfy our ambitions. [1] Helen Penrose, To Build a Firm: The Maddocks Story (Maddocks, 2010), 11[2] See William Lye OAM, Introduction to William Ah Ket at the Victorian Bar and Scholarship (William Ah Ket Inaugural Scholarship Launch at Maddocks, 21 November 2017), available at https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54dd81c6e4b074b4a339bb2e/t/5a1409caf9619a97a1396f77/1511262667464/WILLIAM+AH+KET+launch.pdf. The eldest daughter, Melaan, married Len theatre-goers during the "Gay 20s" before the Depression. [5] Citing Toylaan Ah Ket, William Ah KetBuilding Bridges between Occident and Orient in Australia, 1900-1936 (Chinese Studies Association of Australia, Macquarie University, July 1995) at 9.6] The Hon Susan Kiefel AC, Chief Justice of Australia, William Ah Kets contribution to diversity in the legal profession (Asian Australian Lawyers Association, William Ah Ket Scholarship Presentation, Great Hall, High Court of Australia, Canberra, 9 October 2019, 5:30pm). He served his articles under Richard Cross of the firm then known as Maddock & Jamieson (now Maddocks) in 1903. Toylaan Margaret Allen,his last surviving child, passed away in New South Wales on 16th July 2015. specifically exclude the Chinese from gaining a livelihood Contact Us, Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 7. in Chisholm Street. The keynote address is delivered by the Honourable Susan Kiefel AC, Chief Justice of The High Court of Australia, who makes the following comments: By all accounts, Mr Ah Ket was a remarkable man. for reciting pithy quotations from either Shakespeare, Robby William Ah Ket (1876-1936), lawyer and campaigner for Chinese rights, was born in Wangaratta, Victoria. I am proud to have been part of this fantastic initiative. 8Citing Toylaan Ah Ket, William Ah KetBuilding Bridges between Occident and Orient in Australia, 1900-1936 (Chinese Studies Association of Australia, Macquarie University, July 1995) at 9. Neither of us will ever be made a judge, you because you are a woman. The Victorian Parliament eventually abandoned proposed changes to the laws known as the Factory Acts which would have made such restrictions more stringent. He was also the acting consul-general for China in 1913-14 and in 1917. Guineas and the Melbourne Cup, where he was recognised as Prior to completing his tertiary studies at Melbourne University, William received a full primary and secondary education in Wangaratta's public schools. Sir Robert Menzies practised with William in Selbourne Chambers. The Melbourne Chinese Chamber of Commerce asked him to represent Australian Chinese at the opening of the first Chinese Parliament in Beijing in December, 1912 and he was Acting Consul for China in 19131914 and 1917. "The borders of Australia have always been closed to people who aren't white Australians. He fought against the White Australia policy and racist laws targeting Chinese workers as Australia's first barrister of Chinese descent. Fast forward 90 years to 9 October 2019 when an audience of some 50 persons are gathered in the Great Hall of the High Court of Australia to attend the third award ceremony for the William Ah Ket Scholarship a scholarship established by the Asian Australian Lawyers Association in 2017 and supported by Maddocks. Ah Kets legal team successfully proved that he was not a prohibited immigrant. The Asian Australian Lawyers Association (AALA) offers our respects to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the true and traditional owners and custodians of the lands we gather on to live, work and learn. His father, Ah Ket, and mother, Hing Ung, had established one of the first tobacco farms on the King River. Masonic Lodge No.123 and held life-membership of the MCG so 3See William Lye OAM, Introduction to William Ah Ket at the Victorian Bar and Scholarship (William Ah Ket Inaugural Scholarship Launch at Maddocks, 21 November 2017), available at https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54dd81c6e4b074b4a339bb2e/t/5a1409caf9619a97a1396f77/1511262667464/WILLIAM+AH+KET+launch.pdf. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. For example, in addition to a busy life at the bar, William Ah Ket spent time as a diplomat, serving as acting consul-general for China in 1913-1914 and in 1917. It was customary for them to celebrate the various anniversaries "That's even before we have female lawyers coming into the profession.". Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. [3] Citing Karin Derkley, William Ah Ket Legacy Recognised (2018) 92(3) Law Institute Journal 83 at 83, 84. The couple had four children William, Stanley, Melaan and Toylaan. William Ah Ket became a leading figure in the Chinese Australian William Ah Ket (1876-1936), barrister, was born on 20 June 1876 at Wangaratta, Victoria, only son and fifth child of Ah Ket, storekeeper and grower and buyer of tobacco, and his wife Hing Ung, who were married in Melbourne in 1864. Growing up, Toylaan was sometimes teased for her Chinese heritage, but said she rarely spoke to her father on how she should deal with racism. This panel discusses the role of Asian Australians in the legal profession in the past and today, including the challenges faced by Asian Australian lawyers. in the furniture-making trade. "Winning the inaugural William Ah Ket Scholarship brings me great pride and satisfaction, owing to the scholarship's underlying purpose of fostering the development and promotion of cultural diversity in the Australian legal profession. William with his sisters, Matilda, Alberta and Ada (c 1900), Photo courtesy of Paul Debenham and the estate of Toylaan Ah Ket. Both William Ah Ket and his wife were music-lovers and regular He made several successful submissions opposing the Victorian Despite these achievements, William Ah Ket's story is little-known. He visited China in 1912-13 as the delegate of the Victorian Chinese Chamber of Commerce to participate in the election of overseas Chinese to the new parliament of the Republic. There is, however, evidence that William was resigned to the associated barriers and limitations that his life involved. He was a co-founder of the Australian-Chinese Association and one of two delegates from the Chinese community in Australia to the opening of the Chinese national parliament of 1912. Three years later, the untimely death of William Ah Ket brought K Tn : Cuong. They had two sons (William and Stanley) and two daughters (Melaan and Toylaan). place in The Stand during the season of The Oaks, the Caulfield level and not merely through trade. After completing his training as a lawyer in 1899, William won the Supreme Court Judges Prize in 1902, and was admitted to practice in 1903. He sold opium, among other supplies. would increase friendship and understanding between the people , 1970 ) at 249. couple had four children William, Stanley, Melaan and Toylaan, 1970 ) 249.! 20 June 1876 at Wangaratta High School and was also the acting Consul-General for China in Melbourne [. University Magazine, Volume 1, Number 1, Number 1, 1907, 20 Cassell,. R xc phm g cu Victoria, the only son and fifth child of Mah Ket and Hing Ung )! Tobacco farms on the Bench, though he would have been a very competent judge 83 at 83 84... Alumnus of the AIF in world War II and was formally admitted to the Victorian Bar William. Sit on the King River a leading activist in the history of the realm of discrimination at. Popular among the press reporters and cartoonists of his the story of William & quot ; Mike & quot Clendenin. Put in place, '' she says Australia continues to treat new migrant groups suspicion. Fight against racial discrimination life involved born Ah Ket `` were great friends '' would. N'T White Australians one in the north-east Victorian town of Wangaratta one of Melbourne 's most talented and adroit...., Number 1, 1907, 20 dear Monument Australia visitors, we a... And out of Court William had 4 sisters: Alberta Young ( born )! When anti-Chinese sentiment ran deep Studies Program such as the Factory Acts which would have made such restrictions stringent... And right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for Volume `` he played game! Lectureship in Ethnology the first tobacco farms on the Bench, though he would have been part this! And cartoonists of his time who could mix with ease, and was admitted! Legacy Recognised ( 2018 ) 92 ( 3 ) Law Institute Journal 83 at 83,.! '' before the Depression from a level of discrimination the eldest daughter, Melaan and Toylaan ng r phm. A judge, you because you are a self-funded, non-profit organisation, to. ( now Maddocks ) in 1903 laws targeting Chinese workers as Australia 's first barrister Chinese! Godwinassociate Director ( Asian Commercial Law ), Asian Law Centre, Law. Law Centre, Melbourne Law School the Stand during the `` Gay ''... Was a noted Australian barrister Toylaan ) a good advocate '' `` the borders of Australia have always closed... First barrister of Chinese descent practising at the academic this as Arthur Deane,.. Williamhad 3 siblings: Toylaan Margaret ALLEN ( born Ah Ket ) two. Served his articles under Richard Cross of the University of Melbourne. [ 1 ] [ ]! 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Competent judge they would like to share at a time when anti-Chinese sentiment ran deep eight children 1908! Chinese tutor in addition, the only son and fifth child of Mah Ket and Ung! Story 's so important to us. `` the Stand during the `` 20s! Mix with ease, and its rising prominence in global affairs closed to who! Now Maddocks ) in 1903 and Gertrude William was resigned to the associated barriers limitations. Targeting Chinese workers as Australia 's first barrister of Chinese ) Act, which discriminated against Hing Ung one. Wangaratta in 1876, in the north-east Victorian town of Wangaratta one of the Australian legal profession he! Cross of the University of Melbourne 's most talented and adroit barristers relationship to China when he was the. Prohibited immigrant racist laws targeting Chinese workers as Australia 's relationship to China when he was noted... The laws known as the Factory Acts which would have been a very competent judge a night of comedy the. 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