The taxpayer-funded centre that’s become a flashpoint in influential WA Chinese association’s election

A senior member of Western Australia’s biggest Chinese association has raised concerns about the process behind the construction of a $12 million taxpayer-funded hall in Bentley.

Chung Wah vice president Michael Lee is vying to become president of the influential, 115-year-old organisation for the next two years ahead of its executive committee membership vote this weekend.

His election platform, sent to this masthead, raises concerns about Chung Wah’s proposed community centre on Nyamup Way, Bentley, which has received $12.75 million of state and federal funding to date.

Lee pins his concerns about delays in the project on claims that Chung Wah was “not heeding the advice from the project managers and deviating from the established criteria”.

“All interested builders must partake in a selection/tendering process where they have to demonstrate their experience and financial capacity in constructing a public building project of this scale. Unfortunately, this was not properly carried out,” he said.

In the election material Lee said that, if elected, he would reopen the tendering process.

“Unless there are checks and balances, the mismanagement of this project will continue,” he claimed.

Lee declined to comment further on his election material, which offered a rare insight into his views on the management of the influential organisation, which has had the ear of both Labor and the Liberal Party in successive election campaigns.

It also peels back some mystery surrounding the project, which has not begun construction despite receiving its first $5 million commitment from the former McGowan government in 2020.

WA Labor committed $5 million to the community centre project ahead of the 2021 election and $5 million earlier this year, while federal Labor committed $1.75 million in 2022 and $1 million ahead of the May election.

So far, $750,000 has been transferred to Chung Wah for the project and the state donated the land for the facility.

A builder has not yet been selected.

The centre will include a main performance hall, dance studios, dining hall, activity rooms, bilingual daycare and respite centre for Chung Wah’s aged members.

Its current planning approval, granted by the City if Canning in July 2024, refers to an $8.9 million building referred to as “stage one” of the facility.

Multicultural Interests Minister Tony Buti said he was confident the project was progressing well, and the government was working with Chung Wah to ensure building milestones were being met.

“The Chung Wah executive committee and Council of Elders are providing regular progress updates on the project to the Government and I’m confident that the project is being managed with transparency and due diligence,” Buti said.

Chung Wah had 2286 members as of 2024 and represents the interests of WA’s Chinese community.

It donated $5100 to WA Labor from 2024 to June this year, and has donated to the federal Liberal Party in the past.

Chung Wah’s executive committee elections are highly political and Lee’s tilt at the presidency comes amid a power struggle between members with mainland Chinese heritage and those with non-mainland heritage.

Lee is a part of a bloc of candidates of non-mainland heritage, while his main rival, Chung Wah’s current Senior Vice President Andy Yuanis, is of mainland Chinese heritage.

Chung Wah’s executive committee has been led by the organisation’s mainland bloc since 2015.

In Yuan’s campaign manifesto, also seen by this masthead, he said he wanted to strengthen financial governance Chung Wah by “implementing transparent financial practices and publishing regular financial reports”.

Yuan said he also aimed to enhance the association’s public influence by expanding cooperation with other organisations, government bodies and media partners.

He said he wanted to put members first by introducing a digital membership card system and encourage greater youth participation in Chung Wah.

Chung Wah did not respond to requests for comment in time for deadline.

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