West enabled him to become one of the few Chinese Australians After living in China for many years, he returned to Australia as an adult but was treated as a prohibited immigrant because he failed a dictation test imposed by the immigration legislation at the time. William Ah Ket made history when he signed the bar roll. Despite his high profile and achievements, it would seem that others were advanced while he was not.6 He was neither appointed Silk nor a judge. He acquired a considerable reputation as a negotiator of settlements. at the National University in Canberra. Last night, things came full circle when I attended the launch of the 2019 William Ah Ket Scholarship at the Chinese Museum in Melbourne. [14] Karin Derkley, above n 6. I because I am Chinese. eyewitness of the Test matches between England and Australia. of the AIF in World War II and was killed during the Allied 3See William Lye OAM, Introduction to William Ah Ket at the Victorian Bar and Scholarship (William Ah Ket Inaugural Scholarship Launch at Maddocks, 21 November 2017), available athttps://static1.squarespace.com/static/54dd81c6e4b074b4a339bb2e/t/5a1409caf9619a97a1396f77/1511262667464/WILLIAM+AH+KET+launch.pdf. He added, "A certain prejudice among clients against having a Chinese barrister to an extent limited his practice, though instructing solicitors thought very well of him".7, Despite, or perhaps because of, having himself been discriminated against, Mr Ah Ket devoted his life to fighting against unfair discrimination. Morrison Lecture was given in 1932 by 8Citing Toylaan Ah Ket, William Ah KetBuilding Bridges between Occident and Orient in Australia, 1900-1936 (Chinese Studies Association of Australia, Macquarie University, July 1995) at 9. In his more-than 30-year career, William was never promoted to the rank of senior barrister or appointed judge. He was a sound lawyer and a good advocate". "Rumpole" of the Victorian Supreme Court, gaining He died on 6 August 1936 of arteriosclerosis and renal failure at Malvern, Victoria. Contact Andrew at a.godwin@unimelb.edu.au. father employed a resident tutor for his 'seven little Australians' in Wangaratta, William Ah Ket continued his regular attendance paper is based on a paper she gave at the Conference of the Chinese Studies The eldest daughter, Melaan, married Len Both William Ah Ket and his wife were music-lovers and regular "They were about making sure Chinese were on view, they were really pretty abhorrent," she says. of Australia and the people of China - albeit at the academic Sir Robert Menzies practised with William in Selbourne Chambers. would increase friendship and understanding between the people Following his youthful introduction to country horse-racing "If you think about someone who's a first-generation Australian trying to break into a white, Anglo-Saxon dominated legal profession, it would've taken a fair bit of work to build up his reputation, get to be known and respected," he says. choice would be a controversial play at The Little Theatre, [5] Citing Toylaan Ah Ket, William Ah KetBuilding Bridges between Occident and Orient in Australia, 1900-1936 (Chinese Studies Association of Australia, Macquarie University, July 1995) at 9.6] The Hon Susan Kiefel AC, Chief Justice of Australia, William Ah Kets contribution to diversity in the legal profession (Asian Australian Lawyers Association, William Ah Ket Scholarship Presentation, Great Hall, High Court of Australia, Canberra, 9 October 2019, 5:30pm). It is fitting and proper that this scholarship is named for him.[6], The recipient of the Scholarship, Tienyi Long, notes that [l]awyers, courts and legislators continue to grapple with the question of how equal justice can be achieved for diverse communities in a multifaceted and increasingly complex society diversity intelligence is an essential skill to facilitate equal access to justice for diverse communities it should be included as part of mandatory continuing professional development requirements under the Legal Profession Uniform Law.[7]. Jamieson in 1903. We will never satisfy our ambitions. "Obviously there's not a White Australia policy as such against Chinese migrants," she says. Contact Us, Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 7. "But we're living in days of the incarceration of refugees and asylum seekers. Their youngest 10William Ah Ket Scholarship 2019, Program (9 October 2019). Maureen Bedford - Great-niece of William Ah Ket, Vivienne Davis- Great-niece of William Ah Ket, Reynah Tang- Lawyer and founding president of Asian Australian Lawyers Association, Toylaan Ah Ket- Daughter of William Ah Ket, Blossom Ah Ket- Great-granddaughter of William Ah Ket, The Chinese and the Factories Acts by William Ah Ket,1906, The Measure of the Years by Sir Robert Menzies, 1970. to Australia, William Ah Ket was appointed as Acting Consul-General Defend yourself nobly but always in a dignified fashion.". He built up a successful Toylaan remembered his final words: "Unity is strength.". He joined the ranks of barristers the following year, and is widely understood to have become the first Australian lawyer of Chinese descent to practise as a barrister at the independent bar in the state of Victoria. recital, a Gilbert & Sullivan production, a Franz Lehar He was born on 20 June 1876 at Wangaratta, Victoria, the only son and fifth child of Mah Ket and Hing Ung. See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover William's . He said that "William Ah Ket did not ever sit on the Bench, though he would have been a very competent judge. William Ah Ket (1876-1936), barrister, was born on 20 June 1876 at Wangaratta, Victoria, only son and fifth child of Ah Ket, storekeeper and grower and buyer of tobacco, and his wife Hing Ung, who were married in Melbourne in 1864. It is named after William Ah Ket who became the first Australian barrister of Chinese origin in 1904. "He famously won the case that day and then went over afterwards and put on a stereotype Chinese accent and said: 'How you likey my cross-examination?'" William Ah Ket was Australia's first barrister of Asian heritage or ethnicity, born in Victoria in 1876. In a passage that is still recognised as current law in Australia, Justice OConnor stated as follow: It isimprobable that the legislature would overthrow fundamental principles, infringe rights, or depart from the general system of law, without expressing its intention with irresistible clearness13. After the formalities conclude, enthusiastic discussion ensues amongst the guests about William and his legacy and includes a combination of questions and observations: How is it that William Ah Ket is not more widely known?; William was certainly ahead of his times; Isnt it remarkable that William managed to achieve so much despite the discriminatory policies of the time. Australia's first Asian lawyer, William Ah Ket, who battled racism and achieved landmark victories, and how his legacy lives on Chinese-Australian barrister and lawyer William Ah Ket was known. One case he was involved in successfully challenged the Immigration Restriction Act better known as the White Australia policy in 1908. Neither of us will ever be made a judge, you because you are a woman. The award is sponsored by Maddocks where William Ah Ket was an articled clerk prior to joining the Victorian Bar, which is also a new sponsor this year along with the University of Melbourne Law School, where Mr Ah Ket studied. Life [ edit] With paternal ancestry from Taishan, southern China, Ah Ket was Australia's first barrister of Asian heritage or ethnicity. William Ah Ket - A Life of Diversity and Service, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/ah-ket-william-4979, https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54dd81c6e4b074b4a339bb2e/t/5a1409caf9619a97a1396f77/1511262667464/WILLIAM+AH+KET+launch.pdf, https://arrow.latrobe.edu.au/store/3/4/5/5/1/public/stories/wahket.htm, https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/145813/2/Morrison%20Oration%2002.pdf. William Ah Ket became a leading figure in the Chinese Australian community during the early years of Federation. Each August since 2017, the William Ah Ket Scholarship committee has accepted applications for the most outstanding research paper on a topic dealing with equality, diversity, and the legal profession or the law from legal trainees, graduates, final year students and lawyers with less than five years of practice. He advocated and promoted peaceful coexistence. James_Michael, Hm qua, lc 22:28. NOTE: The author, Toylaan Ah Ket, is the daughter of William Ah Ket. La Trobe University His father, Ma Ket [], had arrived in Victoria in 1855 to work as a community leader for the Chinese workers in the goldfields of Victoria. William's father, Mah Ket, was one of Australia's earliest tobacco farmers. Toylaan, the youngest daughter, died in 2015 at the age of 94. But he added: "But do not ever be intimidated or pushed down or give into people who would harass you or tease you and laugh at you. In an interview with the National Library of Australia in 1993, she remembered her affluent childhood. Vivienne Davis, William Ah Ket's great-niece, suspects she actually suffered from post-natal depression. Wangaratta Primary School, which William Ah Ket attended as a child.Source: Andrew Godwin. One time, boys chased Toylaan and her sister home from Sunday school, throwing stones and calling them "Ching-chong Chinamen". in Little Bourke Street or attending one of the city theatres such a reputation for his canny tactics as a cross-examiner. Andrew Godwin is researching the life and times of William Ah Ket and is working with the descendants of the Ah Ket family for this purpose. He served his articles under Richard Cross of the firm then known as Maddock & Jamieson (now Maddocks) in 1903. Popular among the press reporters and cartoonists of his [1] Completing this course in 1899, William won the Supreme Court Judges Prize in 1902 and was admitted to practice in 1903. He fought against the White Australia policy and racist laws targeting Chinese workers as Australia's first barrister of Chinese descent. Source: MA,VMR a keen if not always successful punter. Toylaan Margaret Allen,his last surviving child, passed away in New South Wales on 16th July 2015. daughter Toylaan gained her BA(hons) degree at Sydney University William stayed involved with the University and was elected the President of the Law Students Society on 19 April 1907.4 Some 20 years later, in 1929, William supported a toast in favour of Sir Harrison Moore, the third Dean of Melbourne Law School, at a dinner hosted by the Law Students Society to mark Sir Harrisons retirement in 1927. in Chisholm Street. who had made such a worthy contribution to the history of Asian Australians have played a vital role in the legal profession since the late 1800s, starting with the first barrister of Chinese origin to join the independent bar in Victoria, William Ah Ket. specifically exclude the Chinese from gaining a livelihood One of the most distinguished a presentatives of the Chinese community in Australia, and one of the most popular members of the Bar in Victoria, Mr. William . theatre-goers during the "Gay 20s" before the Depression. [3] He was neither appointed Silk nor a judge. So how is it that such a pioneering lawyer of Chinese descent is not more widely known? Maddocks CEO named judge for 2021 William Ah Ket Scholarship. The Inaugural G.E. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In a special series, RN examines Australia's relationship to China, and its rising prominence in global affairs. Educated in both English andChinese cultures, he agitated against racialintolerance in Victoria and defended the rightsof Victoria`s Chinese community. An alum of the University of Melbourne, William studied jurisprudence in 1897 before joining law firm Maddock & Jamieson (now Maddocks) and commencing the articled clerks course at the University in 1898. Sir Robert Menzies practised with William in Selbourne Chambers. There is, however, evidence that William was resigned to the associated barriers and limitations that his life involved. William Ah Ket (1876-1936), lawyer and campaigner for Chinese rights, was born in Wangaratta, Victoria. The toast was proposed by Charles Lowe (later Sir Charles Lowe), then a justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria and subsequently Chancellor of Melbourne University between 1941 and 1954, and was also supported by Justice Owen Dixon of the High Court and Professor Kenneth Bailey, then Dean of Melbourne Law School.5 Interestingly, William had appeared in cases as senior to Lowe and as junior to Dixon before they were elevated to the bench. Ah Ket appeared in another High Court case calledPotter v Minahan.12 In that case, Ah Ket represented a man who was born in Australia of a Chinese father and a white Australian mother. William stayed involved with the University and was elected the President of the Law Students Society on 19 April 1907.4 Some 20 years later, in 1929, William supported a toast in favour of Sir Harrison Moore, the third Dean of Melbourne Law School, at a dinner hosted by the Law Students Society to mark Sir Harrisons retirement in 1927. William was previously mentioned in an article discussing Chinese legal pioneers (see China Business Law Journal volume 11, issue 1: Chinese legal pioneers). Once completed, the Eagle Mountain Data Center will be a nearly 2.4 million square foot campus. It is timely to commemorate Williams life because a photo of William will soon be unveiled in the Portrait Gallery of the Victorian Bar in Melbourne, Australia. Association in Australia held at Macquarie University on 5 July 1995. The reason why the Chinese laundry owner had been charged was that a Chinese man had been found in the laundry between 9 and 10 pm at night ironing a shirt, apparently in breach of the after-hours work prohibition. Wu was born in the Straits Settlement in 1842. William was particularly active in the fight against racial discrimination and appeared in many 'public interest' cases. His mother, Hing Ung, had bound feet and spoke no English. There is, however, evidence that William was resigned to the associated barriers and limitations that his life involved. From this summary of his early achievements, it is clear that William was a gifted student and lawyer, who succeeded in a time rife with racial discrimination. In the 1930s world peace began to waver under the threat 5 Law Students Society Dinner to Sir Harrison Moore, Farrago 5(5), April 23, 1929. First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we Andrew and MLS would be delighted if any readers have information about William that they would like to share. William Ah Ket was educated at Wangaratta High School and was also taught at home by a Chinese tutor. William's client, James Minahan, was born in Australia to an Anglo-Australian mother and Chinese father. I am proud to have been part of this fantastic initiative. to learn the cultural traditions of ancient China, and to This article commemorates the life of William Ah Ket, Australias first barrister of Chinese descent. He added, "A certain prejudice among clients against having a Chinese barrister to an extent limited his practice, though instructing solicitors thought very well of him".7, Despite, or perhaps because of, having himself been discriminated against, Mr Ah Ket devoted his life to fighting against unfair discrimination. Fast forward 90 years to 9 October 2019 when an audience of some 50 persons are gathered in the Great Hall of the High Court of Australia to attend the third award ceremony for the William Ah Ket Scholarship a scholarship established by the Asian Australian Lawyers Association in 2017 and supported by Maddocks. Victoria 3086 There is little doubt that William Ah Ket's William Ah Ket also wrote articles and gave lectures in support Andrew can be contacted on a.godwin@unimelb.edu.au. opinions expressed in these stories do not necessarily reflect those of La Trobe University AALA acknowledges the past and continuing trauma caused by mistreatment and displacement. Fulfilling his fathers wishes, William studied law at the University of Melbourne. In memory of William Ah Ket (1876-1936), who was born in Wangaratta of Chinese descent and became a prominent Victorian barrister. place in The Stand during the season of The Oaks, the Caulfield Fast forward 90 years to 9 October 2019 when an audience of some 50 persons are gathered in the Great Hall of the High Court of Australia to attend the third award ceremony for the William Ah Ket Scholarship a scholarship established by the Asian Australian Lawyers Association in 2017 and supported by Maddocks. Make a life-giving gesture "William Ah Ket is in his teens at this time and he's being brought up to be a smart, educated young man, so he would've seen all this going on.". In a passage that is still recognised as current law in Australia, Justice OConnor stated as follows: It is improbable that the legislature would overthrow fundamental principles, infringe rights, or depart from the general system of law, without expressing its intention with irresistible clearness [10], Despite the bamboo ceiling that William must have encountered during his life and career, it appears that his mission was to remove barriers and, as his daughter Toylaan Ah Ket wrote, to implement his personal philosophy of building bridges between the East and West.'[11]. In 1921, William and Gertrude migrated from Canton in the 1850s, and when the Gold Rush in Chisholm Street. His father had arrived in Victoria in 1855 and after some years on the goldfields established one of the earliest tobacco-farms on the King River. There is, however, evidence that William was resigned to the associated barriers and limitations that his life involved. We should have done Medicine.16, There are many more interesting stories and facts that one could relate about William and his legacy. 7Citing Sir Robert Menzies, The Measure of the Years (Cassell Australia, 1970) at 249. [5], His answer to the difficulties he faced appears to have been to succeed in what he did; to be a real part of the legal profession; to help others and to act at all times righteously, with courage and with kindness. William Penrod Davis, age 80+, lives in Eagle Mountain, UT. all born in Australia to his Chinese parents. Australias first Chinese barrister William Ah Ket was born in the Victorian country town of Wangaratta. 2Helen Penrose,To Build a Firm: The Maddocks Story (Maddocks, 2010), 11. This Australian law-related biographical article is a stub. William also represented Chinese-Australians challenging discriminatory legislation in the High Court. C. F. Yong, The Chinese in New South Wales and Victoria, 1901-1921 (Ph.D. thesis, Australian National University, 1966). The couple had four children William, Stanley, Melaan and Toylaan. Tune in as The History Listen explores his story. After his return Ah Kets legal team successfully proved that he was not a prohibited immigrant. View William Webb's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. He went on to live in China for several years. [1][2] His daughter Melaan was the mother of the guitarist John Williams. Whatever the challenges that William faced during his sixty years, there is no doubt that his life was one of diversity and service. a full primary and secondary education in Wangaratta's public He became the leading Chinese in the district and a respected member of the Wangaratta community. As the first #ChineseAustralian to join the Victorian Bar, William was born. William Ah Ket (1876-1936), barrister, was born on 20 June 1876 at Wangaratta, Victoria, only son and fifth child of Ah Ket, storekeeper and grower and buyer of tobacco, and his wife Hing Ung, who were married in Melbourne in 1864. schools. He sold opium, among other supplies. At that time, people born in Australia were British citizens by right, regardless of their parents origins. He also appeared before Justice Lowe after he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Victoria. His father had arrived in Victoria in 1855 and after some years on the goldfields established one of the earliest tobacco-farms on the King River. At that time, people born in Australia were British citizens by right, regardless of their parents origins. Chinese people. That in itself was an "impressive feat", says Reynah Tang, the founding president of the Asian-Australian Lawyers' Association. community during the early years of Federation. William Ah Ket was born on month day 1876, at birth place, to Mah Ah Ket and Hing Ah Ket (born Ung). and friendship between the West and the East led him to accept the social, business and sporting circles of Melbourne in He In addition, William Ah Ket possessed a deep knowledge of the Western classics and modern languages and was wont to include quotes from Shakespeare, the Scottish poet Robert Burns or a Gilbert & Sullivan opera during his appearances in court.[14]. A former partner of Linklaters Shanghai, Andrew Godwin teaches law at Melbourne Law School in Australia, where he is an associate director of its Asian Law Centre. Felvons 1. It also discusses the importance of cultural diversity in the workplace and within the community, particularly during a time when racism has become more prominent since COVID-19. 5 Law Students Society Dinner to Sir Harrison Moore, Farrago 5(5), April 23, 1929. Andrew and MLS would be delighted if any readers have information about William that they would like to share. [12] William Ah Ket, Eastern Thought, with special reference to Confucius (Second Morrison Lecture, 3 May 1933), available at https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/145813/2/Morrison%20Oration%2002.pdf. Guidelines for the Lectureship had been initially proposed Each data center building is the size of a modern day aircraft carrier, nearly four football fields long. His father had taken him to China when he was about five years old. Noting that music had a peculiar charm for Confucius, he mused that had Confucius lived then, it is quite likely that he would have found in the music of the bagpipes something particularly stirring and satisfying to the soul.[12] William would have had an affinity with bagpipes as his wife, Gertrude Bullock, was of Scottish descent. 1John Lack, Ah Ket, William (1876 1936),Australian Dictionary of Biography, available athttp://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/ah-ket-william-4979. Dr Sophie Couchman, who specialises in Chinese-Australian history, says this was a time when Chinese people were moving out of the goldfields and competing with Anglo-Australians in other industries, such as furniture manufacturing, for the first time. as Arthur Deane, R.G. In 191314 and 1917, he acted as Consul-General for China in Melbourne.[1][5]. Ah Ket was born in Wangaratta in 1876 and died in 1936. Despite the bamboo ceiling that William must have encountered during his life and career, it appears that his mission was to remove barriers and, as his daughter Toylaan Ah Ket wrote, to implement his personal philosophy of building bridges between the East and West. 1901. Liu in Sydney who both obtained generous financial support Sir Robert Menzies wrote that he and Mr Ah Ket "were great friends". for reciting pithy quotations from either Shakespeare, Robby His father Mah Ket had arrived in Australia in the 1850s, during the gold rush era, and his mother in the 1860s. Williamhad 3 siblings: Toylaan Margaret ALLEN (born AH-KET)and 2 other siblings. barrister to practice in Melbourne. Imagined by, Understanding internal and external evidence in interpretation of claims, Legal risks and strategies for ending a tenancy early, Tips for insolvency administration of NEEQ-listed companies, Applying estoppel, dedication rules in drug patent linkage dispute, Ongoing developments with follow-on antitrust lawsuits, Legal risks of one-day trip into SCSZs for deemed exports, Fees to please: Flexible and innovative fee structure for Hong Kong arbitration, Prerequisites, exemptions for fledgling personal bankruptcy system, Bankruptcy reorganisation: revealing an investment window, Save time and money with pre-reorganisation rescue planning. Neither of us will ever be made a judge, you because you are a woman. His father had taken him to China when he was about five years old. In addition, he had the advantage His mother, Hing Ung, had bound feet and spoke no English. The story of William Ah Ket is a significant one in the history of the Australian legal profession. ways of thinking, with particular reference to Confucius'. Their father said "the boys were teasing her and boys tend to do that". of Commerce to represent Victoria at the Conference of Overseas William was particularly active in the fight against racial discrimination. Life. In the 1900s William Ah Ket along with other leaders of the "In the mid-1880s the colonies decided they were no longer going to naturalise Chinese, and then in 1903 that was enshrined in federal legislation. William was particularly active in the fight against racial discrimination. This article contains content that is not available. and their only son, John Williams, has been acclaimed as one Occasionally their By Andrew GodwinAssociate Director (Asian Commercial Law), Asian Law Centre, Melbourne Law School. - either Her Majesty's or the Princess Theatre - for a Melba Supplied: Supreme Court of Victoria collection, Prestigious girls' school drama teacher guilty of sexually abusing students in 1980s, Superb Lyon claims eight-wicket haul, Australia chasing 76 for victory in third Test, Rajwinder Singh charged with murder over the death of Toyah Cordingley, China has taken a 'dramatic' lead in critical technologies used for military power, report says, British MP rejects Dutton's claim the UK does not have capacity to build Australia's nuclear-powered subs, How Maggie Dent's smart watch helped her avoid a potential stroke, and her message for women everywhere, NT Police sergeant denies offering legal defence to Zachary Rolfe after shooting of Kumanjayi Walker, Melbourne Storm edge Parramatta in golden point as NRL season makes thrilling start, Aaryan's parents have skills Australia desperately needs. of his time who could mix with ease, and enjoy widespread
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