Thong Sum Lee - Citizens Party Candidate for Lingiari (NT)

Thong Sum Lee
Citizens Party Candidate for Lingiari (NT)
Enquiries Phone: 0438 412 016    Email: thongslee@gmail.com

I have lived in the Northern Territory and been a contributing member of the community for 36 years and I simply love it. I am passionate about helping others, especially those who are disadvantaged, unemployed or homeless. I believe in justice and equitable treatment for all and am committed to doing all I can for the betterment and improvement of the community.

I raised my two children here in Darwin, but my journey began in Malaysia where I was born, and worked as a teacher after graduating high school until I saved enough money to travel to London, where I studied law and obtained an Utter Barrister degree from Lincoln’s Inn, School of Law. My family immigrated to Sydney in 1975 where I began my career as a Barrister.

For four years beginning in 1978, I enlisted in the One Commando Unit in the Australian Army Reserve. This was the most challenging and best time of my life! I went on to become a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Australian Air Force. In 1986 I moved to Darwin and settled down on joining the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department as a legal officer, and then later in the Department of Law.

In 1990 I set up my own legal firm trading as TS Lee & Associates, Solicitors and Barristers. In 2005 I obtained a Master of Laws degree from Deakin University, Victoria. For 23 years, I was proud to provide legal services to everyone without discrimination, including Indigenous, Asian, Indian, Caucasian Australians and migrants. I believe I helped those people in need and they helped me realise how much the Government has forsaken ordinary people. Many Territorians (not just Indigenous) are dealing with serious long-term economic, housing and health issues, which must be addressed.

I retired from the law in 2013 and since then have become a primary producer, working my small mango farm at Berry Springs, and pursuing my passion for wildlife preservation. This has also allowed time for me to do volunteer work across numerous organisations including the NT Carers, Arafura Games, the Darwin Table Tennis Association, the NT Farmers Association, and I am currently a member of the Berry Springs Volunteer Bushfire Brigade.

In 2016 I ran as an Independent candidate. Since then I have joined the Australian Citizens Party because their principles for the common good, transparency and for competent government—of, for, and by the people—are a breath of fresh air in a world of corrupt and vested political interests.

I am running as a Citizens Party candidate in this Federal election, as I believe all the policies on our Fighting Platform are critical for the future of this wonderful country, especially the fight for a national banking system. With a government-owned postal savings bank, development and infrastructure banks, we can look forward to proper funding for education, health, infrastructure, manufacturing and industry etc., without being beholden to the private banking system. Australia can confidently take its rightful place as a good and peaceful friend to all of our Asian neighbours.

For the sake of our own security and wellbeing, we must forge our own sovereign foreign policy and trade arrangements, and encourage good old-fashioned diplomacy rather than confrontation. We need peace, not war. The only thing that comes from war is pain, suffering and destruction of livelihoods, nations, families, and the environment.

If elected I will also:

• Fight to preserve the Territory’s unique environment including no fracking for oil and gas;
• Fight for more funding for education at all levels;
• Fight for more funds to improve infrastructure especially better sealed roads in the rural regional areas;
• Press for more funding to improve the Indigenous community’s safety and to protect Indigenous sacred grounds and country;
• Fight to prioritise funding for housing, aged care facilities, mental health and special needs.

I ask for your support. If you care for human beings, vote for the Citizens Party.

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