Henry Tsang

Henry Tsang OAM (born 6 November 1943; Simplified Chinese: 曾筱龙; Traditional Chinese: 曾筱龍; Pinyin: zéng xiǎolóng) is an Australian architect, politician and formerly an Australian Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. Tsang was a member of the Council from 27 March 1999 until his resignation effective 3 December 2009. Until 15 November 2009 he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier and to the Treasurer on Trade and Investment. Currently, he is a Member of the Board of Advisors of the Global Panel Foundation, a respected NGO that works behind the scenes in crisis areas around the world.^[1]

Early years

Tsang was born to parents Tik Fai Tsang and Woon-Wah Young^[2] in a Hakka village in Jiangxi Province, China^[3] on 6 November 1943.^[2][4] in 1949 Tsang and his family fled to Hong Kong as refugees.^[3] He grew up in Hong Kong but immigrated to Australia in 1961.^[3] After arriving in Australia, he attended Vaucluse Boys' High School.^[3] He went on to study at Sydney University.^[3] He obtained a Bachelor of Architecture in 1961.^[3] He undertook further studies at the University of Technology at Sydney and was awarded a Graduate Diploma in Building Science.^[3]

Tsang is an architect with an expertise in urban planning and design. He is one of the principals of Tsang & Lee Architects. His achievements include the Dixon Street Chinatown Mall, the Cabramatta Mall, and the Chinese Gardens at Darling Harbour.^[5]

He was Senior Vice Chairman of the Ethnic Communities Council of New South Wales from 1987 to 1990.^[3] In 1991 he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for his services to the community.^[3]

He was elected to Council of the City of Sydney in September 1991 and was the first Asian Australian to be elected to that council.^[3] He was also elected unopposed as the Deputy Lord Mayor of Sydney.^[3] He faced re-election and was re-elected in September 1995 and continued as Deputy Lord Mayor^[3] until 1999. He was a Member of Australia's national delegation to the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit. He was also a national delegate to the United Nations World Urban Forum in Curitiba, and he had the honour of chairing the opening session.^[3] He was also a national delegate to the 1994 United Nations International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo.

He was a member of the Board of Australia-China Council. He was a member of the Multicultural Advisory Committee to the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG), a Member of the New South Wales Tourism Task Force, and a Member of the Board of Architects of New South Wales, a Member of the Inner Sydney Waste Board and a Member of the Casino Community Benefit Fund Trustees.^[3]

He was number eight on the Australian Labor Party ticket for 1999 State election. He described being number eight as an unwinnable seat which would be a "death Seat". However, he said that he believed "that number eight is a lucky number" and was subsequently elected to the Council. He was re-elected in 2007.

In parliament, was Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier and to the Treasurer on Trade and Investment until November 2009, when he was replaced by Premier Nathan Rees after revelations he failed to declare gifts and accommodation from Chinese-backed construction group Hightrade.^[6]

He was a member of the General Purpose Standing Committee and was the Legislative Council Representative on the Senate of the University of Sydney in 2003 and 2004.

He married Donna Pow, a concert pianist, on 10 June 1972.^[2] She is chair of the East West Philharmonic Orchestra, a member of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and deputy chair of the Sydney Youth Orchestra. They have two sons,Clement and Derwent.

References