Summary of Vietnamese Community in Australia-Victorian Chapter Election Situation
Summary of Vietnamese Community in Australia-Victorian Chapter (VCA-VIC) Election Situation.
Following the VCA‑VIC election 28 June, the President, also the leader of Slate 1, congratulated Slate 2 on winning. However, in Notice No. 7: Temporary Election Result, he inserted an additional sentence that does not exist in the Constitution 2024 and attempted to use it to delay the handover. As he has no authority to issue or alter election notices, this action was invalid. For this reason, the Election Organising Committee (EOC) did not permit him to assist with distributing the final election result.
On the 13 July, The Notice No. 8: Final Election Result formally announced the confirmed outcome and instructed the current Executive Committee to hand over leadership to Slate 2 within one month from the date of the final election result notice, as required by the Constitution. The Executive Committee refused, claiming the notice was illegitimate because it did not contain the VCA‑VIC logo. In reality, the EOC is an independent body established to run the election and does not operate under the Executive Committee’s branding. As the incumbent President was also a candidate, he should not have been involved with the EOC at all due to conflict of interest.
The Executive Committee then cited unrelated complaints that did not affect votes or ballots. They formed an unauthorised conciliation group composed entirely of Slate 1 supporters and declared that they would retain the office for one year, amend the Constitution, and conduct a new election, a decision with no constitutional basis.
Slate 2, supported by 27 organisations, six former presidents, and many community members, formally requested the Executive Committee to hand over on the final day of the changeover period, 13 August. The request was ignored. A lawyer’s demand letter was issued, but no response was provided. The Executive Committee continues to operate and has scheduled a general meeting for 23 August, prompting the community to organise a protest.
The matter is now being referred to legal channels to be resolved through the court.
Thuy Dang (Dáng Thơ)
President–Elect
Representative of VCA-VIC
