Wen Zhou - Citizens Party Candidate for Sydney (NSW)

Wen Zhou
Citizens Party Candidate for Sydney (NSW)
Enquiries Phone: 1800 636 432    Email: wen@citizensparty.org.au

As a second-generation Australian Chinese born in Camperdown, Sydney, I embrace a strong work ethic passed down from my migrant parents. I earned my Bachelor of Laws (Hons), Bachelor of Business (Majoring in Economics) and Master of Laws here in Australia, but my family had humble beginnings. My mum was a waitress, then a preschool teacher, eventually becoming a small business-owner.

Even when I was in high school, I could see the stress my parents were under following the 2008 global financial crisis. Attending state high school introduced me to a brilliant and diverse community of peers. At home, as the eldest of three, my education helped me be a role model for my brothers and keep things together, overcoming my own shortcomings. Having this responsibility meant I entered the workforce early, working as an optometrist’s retail assistant, tea shop kitchen-hand, and cleaner. This was necessary in order to help my family.

Throughout this work experience including my years as a student, I personally experienced many of the challenges faced by young people in modern day Australia. The cost of living is huge—rents, mortgages, taxes, and HECS loan repayments strangle the younger generation. This motivated me in 2021, to run for the City of Sydney Council elections, where I was the only candidate who campaigned on these issues.

Now in 2022, the unaffordable cost of living for all Australians is at the forefront of the nation’s political debate and only the Australian Citizens Party has a well-researched, workable solution.

It begins with creating a thriving, productive, physical economy with meaningful well-paid employment and opportunities for all. But this requires a public banking system, including a postal savings bank that serves the needs of the people especially where the private banks have closed their branches. A postal bank will also guarantee deposits and support the cash payment system and lend to local small businesses neglected by the private banks.

A public banking system also includes a National Development Bank to provide low interest credit for all forms of infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture and industry and to support new technologies for the future. Only such a bank could fund a massive economic recovery, ensuring jobs for all, and facilitate affordable public housing developments, thereby making home ownership possible for young people with limited starting capital and low wages.

The Citizens Party also has legislation to protect homeowners from eviction and foreclosure in the event of a predicted housing bubble collapse, and to reorganise failing banks should that be necessary.

Young people need optimism and a vision for the future. Please vote for me and the Citizens Party in this election.

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