A young Vietnamese-Australian lawyer has blasted the Labor Party for crushing her dreams to become a federal MP representing her local community - as she reveals her challenging upbringing in Sydney's south-west.
Tu Le looked set to represent the Labor stronghold of Fowler in the city's west until frontbencher Kristina Keneally declared she wanted the seat for herself - even though she lives 44km away on an island on the wealthy Northern Beaches.
Senator Keneally will be approved as the candidate by the National Executive this week, meaning 30-year-old Ms Le will have to wait a little longer to become a politician and may have to consider running for the state parliament instead.
In a long and moving Facebook post on Monday morning, the migration lawyer - who was raised in poverty in south-west Sydney by Vietnamese immigrant parents - slammed Labor for overlooking her and called for greater ethnic diversity in parliament.
Tu Le (pictured with Fowler MP Chris Hayes) looked set to represent the Labor stronghold of Fowler but her chance was taken away by former NSW premier, Kristina Keneally
She also attacked local community groups who had come out in support of Senator Keneally after it became clear the shadow home affairs minister would win pre-selection.
'I'm calling this out because it is downright WRONG for our leaders to use their positions of power for their own personal gains,' Ms Le wrote.
'Whether it's in the highest offices of this country or at the community level, we should NEVER accept this behaviour from those who represent us.'
Ms Le said she doesn't 'hold it against' those who did not support her and quoted the Buddha, saying: ''Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die''.'
She attacked Labor for relying on 'superficial connections to our diverse communities' and said the party needs more diversity among its politicians.
'Some politicians only come to our festivals and events (especially before an election) for photo-ops, while ''wearing a sari and eating some Kung Pao chicken to make themselves look good'', she said, quoting Labor MP Ann Aly who had supported her.
'It feels like they seek our support only when looking for fundraising and membership opportunities. It's 2021, and this is no longer acceptable.
'DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION is not a tick the box exercise.
Kristina Keneally (pictured with husband Ben at the Parliament House Mid Winter Ball in 2019) has confirmed she will run in a culturally diverse safe Labor seat in western Sydney
'Our parents and grandparents may have come to this lucky country, put their heads down, worked hard and tried to blend in.
'But our generation has grown up in this sunburnt country. The values of equal opportunity and a fair go were instilled in us through our education.
'We weren't made to blend in, we were taught to stand OUT and stand UP for what we believe in,' she added.
Ms Le, whose parents came to Australia for a better life after the Vietnam War, said she 'never expected a free ticket to Parliament' but complained she was 'collateral damage' to an internal struggle which made it unlikely Senator Keneally would retain her senate spot.
'That's just the nature of politics and I hold no personal grudges,' she wrote.
'But I know a lot of young people, especially those in my community who usually couldn't care less about politics, are enraged by what has happened.
'You have probably felt agitated before but weren't sure what to do about it.
'My message to you is: use your anger as a call to action. If you feel you can no longer sit back, drop me a line. If we keep sitting back and staying quiet, that's on us.
'Together, we will use this spark to create a wildfire.'
Lawyer Tu Le, 30, had hoped to represent her community in Parliament but Senator Keneally will be selected instead
In a previous social media post, Ms Le described her challenging upbringing in south-west Sydney.
'For the better part of my life, I felt ashamed about living in a flat, not knowing what it was like to have a white picket fence and backyard with a hills hoist,' she wrote.
'I recall feeling confused that I could get extra UAI points for my HSC because I came from a disadvantaged public school. I don't ever recall feeling disadvantaged because of who I was or where I lived.
For far too long, political parties have relied on superficial connections to our diverse communities
Tu Le
'Not until I left my bubble and started university. That's when I truly understood my parents' pressure to succeed at school.
'Education was my ticket to freedom. Freedom from poverty, freedom of opportunity. I could be who I wanted to be and give back to the country that gave us so much when we left everything behind us in Vietnam.
'Naturally, I became a lawyer. I wasn't a fan of blood,' she said, explaining why
