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In late 1982 a Publication
Committee came together comprising some leading members of the Chamber that
ultimately published ‘Ten Year Links – in commemoration of the Establishment
of Australia-China diplomatic relations’. ACCCI Life Governor Arthur Locke
Chang was a member of that committee. Darcy Carter wrote an article on
the early years of the Chamber that is now reproduced in full. “At 5.30 p.m. on Wednesday 5th
May 1976, a meeting was arranged by Mr. D.C. Carter to form a Preparatory
Committee with the aim of establishing The Australia China Chamber of
Commerce and Industry in N.S.W. The meeting was held by courtesy
of The Mandarin Club in the organisation’s Lotus Room and present were
Messrs. Darcy Carter, Sid Clare, Bert Chandler, R. Gale, R.A. Purcell, M.
Samuel and Mrs. D. Parker. Mr. Carter agreed to “chair” the
meeting and Messrs. A. Chang and J.F. Kwan joined the preparatory committee
at the time of its next meeting on 10th May 1976, held in the
Offices of H.Y. Kwan (Aust) Pty. Limited. The Inaugural Meeting of the
Chamber took place on Wednesday 16th September 1976 in the
Conference Room of the Australian Department of Trade and Resources, Sydney,
at 5.30 p.m. and the Constitution was adopted. The following persons comprised
the first elected committee of the Chamber: - Messrs. D.C. Carter, John
McCarthy, Jim Kwan, Arthur Locke Chang, Ron Gale, Peter Fox, Ian Irvine,
Richard Liu, A. Simmons, Side Clare, M.J. Samuel and J.G. Gray. Subsequently, the Hon. Neville
Wran, Q.C., M.P., Premier of New South Wales and the then Acting
Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Tang Jemin, accepted
Honorary Patronage of the Chamber and, of course, the organization was
honoured further in 1982 when W.J. Liu Esq., O.B.E., accepted the position of
Governor of the Chamber. The establishment of the Chamber
in other States was actively encouraged by New South Wales as was, indeed,
the establishment of an acceptable National Presence based in the National
Capital – Canberra. The Chamber is now firmly
established in all States – excepting the Northern Territory and New South
Wales continues its original initiatives for the creation of a National
Confederation in the A.C.T. In 1979, through the cooperation
of Mr Henry Wang, the Chamber in N.S.W. – A.C.T. occupied excellent Offices
at 362 Kent Street, Sydney, and these were officially opened by Mr. J.D.
Anthony, M.P., C.H., (Deputy Prime Minister of Australia) on 19th
November 1979. In June 1982, the office moved
to 104 Bathurst Street, Sydney, where the facilities are most appropriate in
relation to the importance of the trading relationship between Australia and
the People’s Republic of China. The current President is D.C.
Carter Esq., O.A.M., who has held that position since the Chamber’s
formation. Mr. Carter represents the A.C.C.C.I. in N.S.W. – A.C.T. on the
Australia China Trade Advisory Group (A.C.T.A.G.) in Canberra. An “original” who attended the
Inaugural Meeting on 16th September 1976 is Mr. R.A. (Roy)
Dissmeyer who now holds the position of Vice President – Trade and Protocol. The Chamber’s basic aims include
the improvement of trade generally between the relative countries, and its
senior officials enjoy an excellent rapport with their counterparts in the
various Chinese Departments, organizations and trading corporations.” 1983 was a high water mark in
Australia China relations especially with the visit to Australia of Chinese
Premier Zhao Ziyang in April. Unfortunately the next decade
was challenging to say the least. The mid 1980s witnessed the
“politicization” of trade groups in Australia with a Liberal inspired
Victorian group seeking to control Chambers in all States. Darcy Carter
resisted these forces with great vigour in N.S.W. and A.C.T. Subsequently a
‘break-away’ China Chamber in NSW, through creating much confusion, collapsed
in 1996 and their members joined the Australia China Business Council. From 1987 political turbulence
exploded throughout China ending in the events of June 1989 in Beijing and to
a lesser extent other cities of China. These were very difficult days for
Australia China trade especially with the imposing of international trade
sanctions by western countries including Australia. Darcy Carter, firstly as
President and then as Chairman of the ACCCI
Life Governors 1989-93, was a calming influence in Chamber’s struggle
to survive. Yet it was during these years of
the late 1980s and early 1990s that the intellectual debates and
organizational discussions took place which witnessed the emergence of the
Chamber’s Key City Strategy and the ACCCI Structure to support Chamber
policies and special project initiatives. It must be acknowledged that Darcy
was always ‘energised’ by the loyal and tireless support of his fellow Life
Governors and peers Roy Dissmeyer, Reg Torrington, Greg Burns, Bo Liu, Laurie
Smith, Arthur Locke Chang, Harry Pang and King Fong as well as others such as
Richard Liu, Larry Mildwater and Allan Rich. During Darcy’s Presidency there
were two rules. Firstly ‘do it’ and let others read about it in the
newspapers – he belonged to the ‘tell them nothing’ school of organization. Secondly never if possible have a
photograph taken without a glass of alcohol in your hand – he always said he
was not a ‘bloody diplomat’. I cannot think of a more fitting way to
celebrate his legacy to ACCCI on the fourteenth anniversary of his retirement
as President of Chamber, then to break these two rules. In this spirit
Chamber now publishes on this Website for the first time the Structure of
ACCCI with Explanatory text. And I have promised to try to have my photograph
taken without a glass in my hand! |
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